The Board of Trustees of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao today approved the appointment of renowned art historian and curator Miren Arzalluz as the new General Director of the Museum, after finalizing the international selection process carried out in recent months.
The election of the Board of Directors responds to the experience and international recognition of Miren Arzalluz in the field of cultural institutions, to her long-term commitment to the project, to her vision aligned with the Museum’s mission to serve as a key element in the transformation strategy. of the country and its sensitivity to the diverse cultural contexts in which the Museum operates with the capacity to integrate local and global values.
Miren Arzalluz Loroño (Bilbao, 1978), currently director of the Paris Fashion Museum – Palais Galliera, joins the Guggenheim with proven experience leading internationally renowned organizations in the field of culture, bringing in-depth knowledge of art history, museums and research, combined with extensive experience in institutional management and international relations.
Doctor in History from the University of Deusto, Master in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and Master in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics in London, Miren Arzalluz has led the Palais Galliera towards a new phase through an ambitious renovation and expansion project and a profound and innovative redefinition of the museum. In collaboration with the institutions Paris Musées and the City of Paris, Miren Arzalluz promoted a new interdisciplinary approach, establishing dialogues and collaborations of the Palais Galliera with other international art and design museums, producing highly successful exhibitions to the public and critics.
The international recognition of Miren Arzalluz is also based on future milestones, such as her appointment in 2024 as Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture; or his recent appointment as a jury for the United States National Design Awards, the National Design Awards 2025 at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.
Also very knowledgeable about the current Basque cultural scene, Miren Arzalluz is a member of the Artistic Advisory Committee of the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts and before her stay in Paris, she directed the Etxepare Euskal Institutua, a public entity dependent on the Basque Government. which works to promote the visibility of contemporary Basque culture and creation at the international level. Her experience as an independent curator allowed her to organize exhibitions in different countries around the world and for five years she was chief curator of the Balenciaga Foundation and Museum, in charge of exhibitions and the collection.
The appointment of Miren Arzalluz will take effect on March 1, 2025 as Elected Director General. For four weeks, she will undertake a process of immersion in the Guggenheim Museums in Bilbao and New York, living with Juan Ignacio Vidarte, general director of the museum until April 1, when Miren Arzalluz will assume the position of general director. with full responsibilities.
The selection process
Since Juan Ignacio Vidarte announced to the Board of Trustees on May 20 his decision to step down as Director General to promote generational change at the helm of the Museum, an international selection process has been launched through ‘a company with extensive experience in recruiting management personnel. in the artistic and cultural sector, Antonia Josten, based in Berlin.
The diffusion of the selection process made it possible to register 1,160 visits to the corresponding section between June 3 and 30, during which the submission of applications was open on the Museum’s website, of which 739 in Spanish, 327 in English , 50. in French and 44 in Basque.
We were looking for a profile with extensive knowledge of art and museum operations, proven management and planning skills in this field and at international level, leadership capacity and experience in fundraising and development. of the public, communicative competence in different languages, a high level of excellence. training and qualification in areas related to the museum world and knowledge of the institutional reality and socio-cultural context of the Museum, among other issues.
In total, 79 professionals from various geographical origins were taken into account (32% international, 23% from the Basque Country and 45% from the rest of the State). After analyzing the profiles and the corresponding interviews, the Antonia Josten company recommended a selection of candidates, who were evaluated by the Selection Committee based on the expectations and requirements of the position, and from which the most suitable person was chosen. qualified and the one who responded best. to the challenges facing the art world.
