Museo de Reproducciones de Bilbao, from copy to copy and I shoot because it’s my turn.

Visit the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao, one of the oldest museums in the capital of Biscay.

The Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao is one of those museums that is not given the importance it should, a great cultural space, in which in addition to enjoying a varied collection of art reproductions, we also have the opportunity to see the building in which it is located, the old Church of the Heart of Mary. The interior of the church has been renovated to house the 4 floors that we find today, but respecting at all times the original structure and making clear its ancient nature through the stained glass windows, water basin, crucifixes and some other elements that we find during the tour of this Basque museum. A practically unused building converted into a museum, a project to applaud in a society in which we are accustomed to demolish and build.

The Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao was created more than 80 years ago and at the present time it is one of the best valued of its kind, one of the best in Europe according to say. These statements are supported by the variety and quality of the works of art that make up its permanent collection. The pieces found throughout the 3 floors that make up the permanent collection of the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao contain some magnificent works such as reproductions of the Venus de Milo or the Moses of Michelangelo, sculptures that even the most ignorant in the field know how to appreciate and enjoy.

The Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao has been moving through the streets of Greater Bilbao until it found what today seems to be its final location, San Francisco Street. A central area of Bilbao that although in the past was somewhat conflictive, has regained some of the tranquility of yesteryear thanks to the rejuvenated area of Marzana and the presence of the Ertzaina. Its location gives us a beautiful perspective of the estuary of Bilbao from its left margin, where the Bridge San Antón, the market of La Ribera and the Old Helmet take great importance. This Bizkaia museum was reborn at the end of 2006 after more than 10 years of closure, a fact that, in our opinion is the great culprit of which this museum is one of the great unknown of Bilbao.

The idea of creating a museum of reproductions in Bilbao began to take shape in 1916, when people linked to the museum scene in Bilbao demanded this type of museum to complete the offer that the city had to offer. Euskal Museoa. Bilbao. Basque Museum and the Fine Arts offered so far. A complex project that took longer than it should and wanted to be visible, since it was not created until 1927.

History: Although it is one of the oldest museums of Bilbao, its history does not have great content and the fact of having remained closed for almost a decade, made a dent in his figure. It was in 1916 when the idea arose to complete a space where classical works could be admired, a type of art that at that time was scarce in Greater Bilbao. More than 10 years had to pass before its inauguration in 1927, but the ordeal did not end here, and not having a definitive headquarters, the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao became a traveling museum, so its collections have been moved up to 2 times to find what seems to be its final place. Its former locations, first the Berastegui Schools, then the San Francisco Schools and finally the Church of the Heart of Mary, have not allowed this Bilbao space to expand its full potential, a problem that seems to be solved today. At present, the museum is gaining strength and is once again making a place for itself on the agendas of many of the tourists who visit our land, another of the must-see places for art lovers.

Permanent collection: The permanent collection of the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao, occupies the 3 floors that the museum has above ground leaving the fourth (the basement) for workshops, activities and experiences like that. The works of art that we find as soon as we enter call the attention and fall in love at the same time, a usual sensations for the collection of forms that these sculptures carry with them. The lighting exposed on the works of the different spaces highlights their characteristics while allowing us to take beautiful pictures of the gallery, a dim light that blends with natural light to create an idyllic place where everything seems to be in harmony. We must mention that there are works of great museums among us, pieces such as those that were transported from the Vatican Museums or the Louvre itself that have more than 80 years old, almost nothing.

Venues: The Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao has traveled around Bilbao looking for its definitive location. Thus, this museum has known up to 3 locations: the Schools of Berastegui, the Schools of San Francisco and the Church of the Heart of Mary. The first of its locations, the Berastegi Schools, housed it from 1930 to 1955, giving way to what was its second home: the San Francisco Schools. Thanks to the Rehabilitation Plan of Bilbao la Vieja, San Francisco and Zabala, in 1998 the City Council of Bilbao approved the reform of the church of the Heart of Mary to convert it into the headquarters of the Museum of Reproductions of the city. The works began at the beginning of 2001 and were completed in 2005, although unfortunately, the reopening of the museum did not take place until November 21, 2006.

Current building: The former church of the Heart of Mary seems to be the definitive space for the collection that we currently find before us. This religious building was rehabilitated for several years to reopen its doors in 2006 as a space fully adapted to the needs of today. The building has been adapted for people with reduced mobility, and its surface area has been increased with the construction of two new levels. The current headquarters of the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao gives it a certain added value, since the church of neo-Gothic style of the late nineteenth century, is not just any space but a peculiar building that combines perfectly with the nature of the works it houses, nice binomial.

Guided tours: Although the formula most used by those who visit this museum is the self-guided tour, that is, the use of information panels to visit the museum. There are many options to visit the Museo de Reproducciones de Bilbao with a guide, but all of them must be booked in advance. We recommend the free guided tours that take place monthly at the Museo de Reproducciones Bilbao, a tour, which takes place on the first and last Friday and Saturday of each month and usually have a schedule of 18:00 hours. We recommend consulting the museum’s agenda to confirm the schedules.

Location: The location of the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao usually surprises the travelers who visit us and is that although we have to admit that it is not in one of the best areas of Bilbao, we must also indicate that it is very close to one of the current fashionable areas of Greater Bilbao: Marzana. A place full of life where you can enjoy a great atmosphere of drinking next to the estuary.

How to get there: If you are located in the center of Bilbao, it is possible to get there on foot without much effort, otherwise, we recommend the use of public transportation:

For those who wish to go by private transport, we would like to point out that there is not much public parking in the vicinity and the existing one is regulated by OTA (Traffic and Parking Ordinance), so we recommend another type of transport, or park the car in the parking lot we found in Bilbao’s Arenal and walk to the museum.

TurismoVasco Tiketa: The value of this museum has been certified with our tourist accreditation “TurismoVasco Tiketa” due to the added value we find in its genre, location and works of art.

The Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao is one of the spaces that are part of the network of museums of the capital of Bizkaia, discover them all in our article The 7 museums of Bilbao, a 100% recommended reading.