Miren Arzalluz Appointed Director General of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, assuming full responsibility as of April 1

Today, the Board of Trustees of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao approved the appointment of renowned art historian and curator Miren Arzalluz as new Director General of the Museum upon conclusion of the international selection process carried out in the past few months. The Board’s appointment responds to Miren Arzalluz’s proven international experience and renown in the field of cultural institutions, her long-term commitment to the project, her vision aligned with the Museum’s mission to serve as a key driving force of the Basque Country’s transformation strategy, and her sensibility toward the diverse cultural contexts where the Museum is currently operating, bringing together local and global values.

Born in Bilbao in 1978 and presently Director of Paris’s Fashion Museum–Palais Galliera, Miren Arzalluz Loroño joins the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with a proven career leading prestigious international cultural organizations, a deep knowledge of art history, museums and research combined with extensive experience in institutional management and international relations.

Arzalluz holds a PhD in History from Deusto University, an MA in Art History from London’s Courtauld Institute of Art, and an MA in Comparative Politics from London School of Economics. At the helm of Palais Galliera for the past six years, she has led the institution toward a new phase through an ambitious renewal and expansion plan, and a profound, innovative redefinition of the museum. In collaboration with the institutions Paris Musées and the City of Paris, Miren Arzalluz has promoted a new interdisciplinary approach, opening dialogues and collaborations of Palais Galliera with international art and design museums to produce exhibitions that have obtained both public and critical acclaim.

Her international recognition is also confirmed by upcoming honors, such as her appointment in 2024 as Chevalière de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture; or her recent designation as member of the jury for the 2025 US National Design Awards of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York.

Also knowledgeable about the current cultural Basque scene, Miren Arzalluz is a member of Bilbao’s Fine Arts Museum’s Artistic Advisory Committee, and before her sojourn in Paris, she was Director of Etxepare Euskal Institutua, a public institution of the Basque Government created to promote Basque language and contemporary culture internationally. As an independent curator she has organized exhibitions across the world, and she was also Chief Curator of the Balenciaga Museum and Foundation, in charge of its exhibitions and collection.

The appointment of Miren Arzalluz will be effective as of March 1, 2025, as Director General Elect. For a period of four weeks, she will dive into the Guggenheim Museums in Bilbao and New York with Juan Ignacio Vidarte, who will remain as Director General until April 1, the date when Arzalluz will assume the full responsibilities of her position as Director General.

The Selection Process

At the time Juan Ignacio Vidarte announced to the Board last May 20 his decision to put an end to his dedication as Director General of the institution to promote generational change, a selection process was launched through a specialized international firm with extensive experience in recruiting executives within the artistic and cultural industry, Antonia Josten, based in Berlin.

The impact of the selection process generated from June 3 to 30 —the dates it was open for application submittals—1,160 visits to the Museum website’s corresponding section; of these, 739 were in Spanish, 327 in English, 50 in French, and 44 in Basque.

The profile requirements included a profound knowledge of art and museum operations; proven management and organizational skills within the museum world internationally; strong leadership and experience in fundraising and audience development; communication skills in different languages; high-level education and qualifications in museum-related matters; and an understanding of the institutional framework and socio-cultural context of the Museum, among others.

During the process, a total of 79 candidacies from different geographic origins—32% international, 23% Basque Country, and 45% from the rest of Spain—were considered. After the analysis of the profiles and the corresponding interviews, the firm Antonia Josten recommended a shortlist of candidates, who were then evaluated by the Selection Committee on the basis of the expectations and requirements of the job; out of these, the most qualified candidate best suited to face the challenges the art world is facing, was selected.