The Bilbao and Abu Dhabi branches of which museum were designed by Frank Gehry?

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern art in Bilbao, Spain. It first opened in 1997 and is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim foundation. This particular museum was designed by the architect Frank Gehry (born 1929). Gehry, who won the Pritzker Prize in 1989, is known for several buildings across the world, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Gehry designed the Bilbao museum with no flat surfaces. He intended the curves of the building to appear random, saying that "the randomness of the curves are designed to catch the light". The building is made from glass, titanium, and limestone.

When the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened to the public, it was rated one of the world's most spectacular Deconstructivist buildings. Whilst Gehry does not affiliate himself with this art movement, his design lacks any obvious harmony or symmetry.

Work is soon to begin on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum in the United Arab Emirates (2022). Gehry has based his design for the building on traditional Middle-Eastern structures with a contemporary twist. Galleries of various sizes will be stacked on top of each other and will incorporate natural features to maximize the energy efficiency of the building.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was founded in 1937 by Solomon R. Guggenheim for the collection and preservation of modern and contemporary art. The first museum opened in New York followed by a second in Venice, Italy.