A l’ombra del Guggenheim-Bilbao: legislació i política museística al País Basc

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the evolution of the creation of museums in the Basque Country since the 1970s. Two criteria will be taken into account in this analysis. On the one hand, the criterion of identity and, on the other hand, the economic criterion. After the death of the dictator Franco in 1975, sociocultural and political movements emerged with force in favor of an identity denied during the Dictatorship. In this context, the first contemporary museums emerged. Later, at the end of the 20th century, the causes for the creation of new institutions were mainly economic. Because of the Guggenheim effect, many Basque institutions supported the opening of new museums to the public. However, the economic crisis of 2008 significantly altered this evolution.