ITSASMUSEUM BILBAO

Located in the former Euskalduna shipyard area, this maritime museum traces the relationship that has always existed between Bilbao and the sea. Built by the architect Juan Francisco Paz and inaugurated in 2003, its singular building is nestled under the roundabout of the Euskalduna Bridge, in a large space that was originally intended as a car park. The use of stone, steel and wood is reminiscent of the materials used in shipbuilding. For the main vocation of this museum is precisely to maintain the memory of the maritime activity of the city. For this purpose, 7,000 square metres of exhibition space were set up inside the museum and 20,000 square metres outside the building. Thanks to a fascinating and highly didactic museography, you can discover what the maritime, commercial and industrial activity of the port of Bilbao was like through collections of photos, models, maps, etc. Outside, an exhibition of boats and ships completes the visit. Several types of boats have been kept in the dry dock, offering a very interesting insight into the functions of each boat. Also noteworthy is the huge Carola crane, built in the 1950s, which has become the icon of the museum. Next door there are also three huge bronze statues by Jesús Lizaso and Pedro Chillida, the largest of which is 4 metres high. Don't miss the Erain space, inaugurated in 2018, dedicated to marine carpentry.