Chillida Leku: A Signature Museum
Chillida Leku: A Signature Museum
Founded during his lifetime by Eduardo Chillida himself, Chillida Leku houses the most extensive and representative collection of the artist’s work. It is located on the outskirts of Hernani, very close to San Sebastián, and is made up of an open-air set of sculptures and an exhibition space inside the Zabalaga Country House, a traditional Basque construction erected in the fifteenth century. Said house and its adjacent grounds were acquired in the 1980s by Eduardo Chillida and his wife Pilar Belzunce, who personally restored and refurbished them over the course of more than fifteen years. That first rehabilitation project was carried out in collaboration with the Basque architect Joaquín Montero, who helped the couple’s highly personal vision for the exhibition space to materialize. The sculptor was looking for a home for his artwork —a “place” (in Basque, leku)— where future generations could learn about and experience his art in a unique setting.
With the support of the prestigious Swiss gallery Hauser & Wirth, the museum underwent a carefully conceived update in 2019, adding a welcome center, a shop, and a café: Lurra Café. The renovation was led by Argentine architect Luis Laplace, in close collaboration with architect Jon Essery Chillida, the sculptor’s grandson. The project likewise had the contribution of Dutch nature artist Piet Oudolf, pioneer of the New Perennial Movement. Said artist’s contribution consisted of introducing subtle landscaping elements.
Chillida Leku is a living space where the works by the master converse with those of guest artists: Phyllida Barlow, Joan Miró, Antoni Tàpies, and Koen Vanmechelen have all been showcased at the museum in recent years. It has also hosted major celebrations, including the centenary of Eduardo Chillida’s birth in 2024 and the centenary of Pilar Belzunce’s birth in 2025, honoring her essential role in shaping this unique place.
The magic of Chillida Leku lies in the freedom it offers visitors, who can wander the estate without a set itinerary, enjoying an intimate stroll among the sculptures. One can pause before each piece, feel the texture of the granite, appreciate its forms, and rest on the grass, taking in the surroundings. The museum encourages a slow, mindful exploration — a rare opportunity to enjoy the moment. That, perhaps, is its greatest luxury.
Above all, Chillida Leku is a meeting place: of art, of people, and of ideas. True to Eduardo Chillida’s vision of art as dialogue and the pursuit of balance, the museum extends that philosophy by creating a space where diverse disciplines intersect. Throughout the year, music, cinema, drawing, and wellness and mindfulness practices find their ideal stage here. The sounds of Jazzaldia and the Musical Fortnight of San Sebastián, which transform the museum’s lawns into an open-air auditorium each summer, are just one example of this seamless fusion between culture and nature. Around the sculptures, sensory experiences, creative workshops, and educational programs reinforce Chillida Leku’s vocation as a vibrant, open, and participatory space.
Chillida Leku
Barrio Jauregui 66, Hernani.
Photograph: Arco de la libertad y el caserío Zabalaga. Sucesión Eduardo Chillida y Hauser & Wirth. ©Zabalaga Leku. San Sebastián, VEGAP, 2025. Iñigo Santiago.
