Guggenheim Museum Bilbao - Economic and Media Impact

Economic and Media Impact

The museum was opened as part of a revitalization effort for the city of Bilbao. Almost immediately after its opening, the Guggenheim Bilbao became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the globe. In its first three years, almost 4 million tourists visited the museum, helping to generate about €500 million in economic activity. The regional council estimated that the money visitors spent on hotels, restaurants, shops and transport allowed it to collect €100 million in taxes, which more than paid for the building cost. The so-called "Guggenheim effect" refers to how the museum transformed the city. The term, however, has also been employed by critics who have denounced the museum as a symbol of gentrification and cultural imperialism. The Wall Street Journal suggested that the Bilbao effect should be called the Bilbao anomaly, "for the iconic chemistry between the design of building, its image and the public turns out to be rather rare."

The building has been featured in such media references as the opening scene of the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, or the 2007 film Sivaji: The Boss, in which it is the setting for the song Style, composed by A.R. Rahman. Mariah Carey's music video "Sweetheart", directed by Hype Williams, shows singers Dupri and Carey in various locations at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. The building is also featured in the computer game SimCity 4 as a buildable landmark.