Context
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, founded in 1908, stands as one of Spain’s most important art institutions. After more than a century of evolution — and on the verge of a new architectural expansion designed by Norman Foster — the museum set out to redefine not only its physical presence but also its digital identity.
This ambition gave rise to a groundbreaking project: the creation of a new digital ecosystem that would extend the museum experience beyond its walls, making its vast collection accessible in a more connected, living way.
Challenge
The museum holds over 150,000 records spanning artworks, documents, bibliographic archives, and editorial materials. However, much of this content remained hidden from public view — scattered across internal systems and physical archives.
The challenge was to transform this immense wealth of data into a coherent, discoverable, and inspiring experience for visitors. Not a traditional catalogue, but a dynamic interface that reflects the richness of the museum’s heritage and invites exploration through connections, stories, and context.
Approach
Working closely with museum director Miguel Zugaza, digital development lead Irune Martínez, and the museum’s multidisciplinary team, mendesaltaren helped define the digital experience design — crafting an open and evolving system where art, information, and technology coexist naturally.
Together with Sònia López, the project’s digital curator, and GNOSS, responsible for the semantic technology that powers the platform, we designed an environment where AI becomes a bridge between people and culture.
Our design approach was rooted in a neuroscience-inspired framework — balancing reason, emotion, and instinct — to shape an experience that feels both intuitive and meaningful. The result is a fluid navigation model, allowing users to move freely across artworks, artists, and documents, generating virtually infinite pathways of discovery.
This new digital platform doesn’t just display the collection — it reveals the invisible threads that connect it.
Impact
The project marks a significant milestone in digital transformation within the museum sector, demonstrating how artificial intelligence and thoughtful design can expand cultural access and participation.
By turning data into knowledge and relationships, the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum now offers an exploratory digital experience that grows over time — one that mirrors the institution’s ongoing commitment to openness, learning, and dialogue with society.
Expertise
Mendesaltaren team
Sara Rivera
Diego Sintas
Context
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, founded in 1908, stands as one of Spain’s most important art institutions. After more than a century of evolution — and on the verge of a new architectural expansion designed by Norman Foster — the museum set out to redefine not only its physical presence but also its digital identity.
This ambition gave rise to a groundbreaking project: the creation of a new digital ecosystem that would extend the museum experience beyond its walls, making its vast collection accessible in a more connected, living way.
Challenge
The museum holds over 150,000 records spanning artworks, documents, bibliographic archives, and editorial materials. However, much of this content remained hidden from public view — scattered across internal systems and physical archives.
The challenge was to transform this immense wealth of data into a coherent, discoverable, and inspiring experience for visitors. Not a traditional catalogue, but a dynamic interface that reflects the richness of the museum’s heritage and invites exploration through connections, stories, and context.
Approach
Working closely with museum director Miguel Zugaza, digital development lead Irune Martínez, and the museum’s multidisciplinary team, mendesaltaren helped define the digital experience design — crafting an open and evolving system where art, information, and technology coexist naturally.
Together with Sònia López, the project’s digital curator, and GNOSS, responsible for the semantic technology that powers the platform, we designed an environment where AI becomes a bridge between people and culture.
Our design approach was rooted in a neuroscience-inspired framework — balancing reason, emotion, and instinct — to shape an experience that feels both intuitive and meaningful. The result is a fluid navigation model, allowing users to move freely across artworks, artists, and documents, generating virtually infinite pathways of discovery.
This new digital platform doesn’t just display the collection — it reveals the invisible threads that connect it.
Impact
The project marks a significant milestone in digital transformation within the museum sector, demonstrating how artificial intelligence and thoughtful design can expand cultural access and participation.
By turning data into knowledge and relationships, the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum now offers an exploratory digital experience that grows over time — one that mirrors the institution’s ongoing commitment to openness, learning, and dialogue with society.
