The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, located in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain, is a stunning example of modern and contemporary art and architecture. Designed by renowned Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, the museum was inaugurated on 18 October 1997 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain. The museum, built alongside the Nervion River, is one of the largest in Spain and belongs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. It features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists. The building itself is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, with its interconnecting shapes of stone, glass, and titanium. It's been hailed as a "signal moment in the architectural culture" and is considered one of the most important works completed since 1980. The museum was founded in 1991 when the Basque government proposed to fund a Guggenheim museum in Bilbao's port area. The government covered the construction cost and agreed to subsidize the museum's annual budget. In return, the foundation agreed to manage the institution and rotate parts of its permanent collection through the Bilbao museum. The museum has had a significant economic and media impact, drawing visitors from around the globe and generating substantial economic activity. Despite some criticism and controversy, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao remains a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of Bilbao's revitalization.