Guggenheim Outpost in Basque Nature Reserve Faces Opposition from Environmental Groups

Plans to establish a new outpost of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum in Guernica and the Urdaibai biosphere reserve in Spain have sparked controversy, according to the Guardian. While proponents argue that the Basque country development project could help revitalize the region both economically and culturally, critics, including environmental groups, worry that it will result in unnecessary damage the protected natural area. 

The new museum is expected to attract at least 140,000 visitors annually, raising concerns that a steady tide of tourists could disrupt the ecosystem of the reserve, which is home to both local wildlife and migratory birds.

The proposed museum would span two sites: one in the town of Guernica and another in the Urdaibai reserve. The project’s detractors, such as Greenpeace and Ecologists in Action, claim the plan was initiated without adequate consultation and warn that it could turn the area into a tourist hub, causing irreversible harm to the environment. The fear is that increased tourism will lead to new infrastructure—roads, hotels, and other developments—that could undermine the protected status of the biosphere reserve.

Supporters of the museum, including the Guggenheim Foundation and the Basque government, see the project as a way to address the region’s post-industrial economic struggles. They argue that it would create jobs, boost local businesses, and provide essential infrastructure improvements, like transportation and healthcare, for the wider region. However, opponents remain skeptical, questioning whether tourism is the right solution for the area and expressing concerns about the broader economic and environmental impact. 

In recent years, there has been an aggressive backlash against tourists and tourism across Spain, despite the industry providing steady income for local economies and hospitality businesses. This summer, in Barcelona, anti-tourism protesters marched to the Catalonian capital shouting “tourists go home” and holding signs that read “Barcelona is not for sale.” During the protests, tourists were targeted with water guns. 

According to CNN, around 26 million visitors stayed overnight in the Barcelona region last year, spending 13.8 billion. 

Basque officials maintain that the project is still in the early stages and that public consultations will take place before any final decisions are made. They also insist that the development will be compatible with environmental protection measures, with the museum controlling visitor numbers to mitigate potential harm. 

“According to the development figures, this area is the second most depressed part of the Basque Country—and there’s a logic to that,” Juan Ignacio Vidarte, the director-general of the Guggenheim Bilbao told the Guardian. “A lot of economic activities aren’t compatible with [Urdaibai’s] status as a natural reserve … We think a certain kind of tourism—but not just any kind of tourism—is compatible and we think the project we’re proposing has taken that very much into account.”

And yet, many locals, including longtime residents of the area, remain unconvinced, questioning whether the museum is necessary. According to the Guardian, they fear that the natural beauty of Urdaibai may be overshadowed, or even ruined, by the new development.