Artium Museoa, the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Basque Country, is in Vitoria-Gasteiz beside the city’s medieval quarter. An Artium Vitoria-Gasteiz visit can pair contemporary art with a walk around the city, though you’ll need to check transport for your chosen date when planning from Mutriku.
- Address: Calle Francia 24, Vitoria-Gasteiz, 01002 Araba.
- Typical hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11:00–14:00 and 17:00–20:00; weekends and public holidays, 11:00–20:00.
- Admission: General admission is €5; some visitors enter free or qualify for reduced admission.
- Getting there: A Vitoria-Gasteiz tram stop is about a 10-minute walk from the museum.
What is Artium?
Artium is the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Basque Country, with a program focused mainly on contemporary arts and cultures. Its main exhibition rooms sit below street level, giving the museum what it describes as an underground “wine cellar” character.
The building has 13,000 square metres of constructed area, almost 75% of it below street level. Its layout centres on an internal plaza containing the Lorategi museum garden, and the museum stands beside Vitoria-Gasteiz’s medieval quarter.
How do you get from Mutriku to Vitoria-Gasteiz?
For the trip from Mutriku to Vitoria-Gasteiz, check current transport options for your chosen date. Hotel Arbe is a three-star hotel in Motrico; you can see this three-star hotel in Motrico when planning your starting point.
Euskotren’s Lurraldebus route DB05 connects Ondarroa/Mutriku, Deba and Zumaia. In Vitoria-Gasteiz, the museum is about a 10-minute walk from a tram stop. Bus lines L3 Betoño-Zumaquera, L4 Lakua-Mariturri, L8 Universidad and L9 Gamarra-Zumaquera serve stops on Francia Street near the entrance and Los Herrán Street behind the museum. A public car park is next to Artium.
If your route includes Deba, the walk and drive from Deba station to Hotel Arbe can help with that part of your trip.
Artium opening hours and tickets
Artium’s usual schedule is split on weekdays and runs continuously on weekends and public holidays. It opens Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 20:00. The museum is closed on non-holiday Mondays.
General admission costs €5. Discounted admission is €2.50 for large families and people covered by agreements with partner institutions. Entry is free every afternoon and all day Sunday, as well as for children under 14, students, unemployed people, pensioners and visitors aged over 65. Guided group visits cost €50, including admission, and are limited to 25 people per group.
Tickets for exhibitions, special visits and activities can be bought online. The ticket office closes 30 minutes before the museum, and visitors begin leaving the galleries 15 minutes before closing.
The museum is normally closed on January 1, January 6, April 28, August 5 and December 25; its weekly rest day can exceptionally change. Hours and admission can change, so check the official site before you go.
How much time should you plan at the museum?
Allow your visit to fit the opening hours, ticket-office cutoff and gallery closing routine: entry sales end 30 minutes before closing, and the galleries begin clearing 15 minutes before. The exhibition and activities program focuses mainly on contemporary arts and cultures, while specific displays depend on the program.
Free guided tours are offered on Sundays; check the current program in the museum’s activities section if you want to join one. You can use free Wi-Fi, and request a children’s pushchair or wheelchair at the cloakroom.
Lockers are available in three sizes: 70 × 40 × 27 cm, 32 × 40 × 27 cm and 32 × 40 × 54 cm, given as height × depth × width.
Personal photography and video are allowed, but flash, spotlights and tripods are not. Don’t touch artworks or take food and drink into the galleries, and keep children under adult supervision. Partially sighted visitors may enter with guide dogs; other animals must remain outside.
Adding a nearby city stop
Europa Parkea gives you another Vitoria-Gasteiz stop to pair with Artium. The guide to Europa Parkea in Vitoria-Gasteiz covers that green-space visit.
FAQs
Where is Artium?
Artium is at Calle Francia 24 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, beside the city’s medieval quarter.
Is Artium free to visit?
Entry is free every afternoon and all day Sunday, with additional free admission for several visitor groups. General admission is €5.
Does Artium offer guided tours?
The museum offers free guided tours on Sundays. Check its activities program for current details.
Can you take photos inside Artium?
Personal photography and video are allowed, but flash, spotlights and tripods are not permitted.