The Arriaga theatre is one of the most important buildings in the city of Bilbao .

It was modelled on the Paris Opera House and opened in 1890. It is the work of architects Joaquín Rucoba and Octavio de Toledo. The building is named after the Bilbao-born composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, whose bust presides over the imperial staircase. Its façade is in an eclectic style, with large balconies.

The theatre has undergone various calamities over the course of its history, including a major fire after which it was rebuilt and re-opened in 1919. In the 1980s the theatre closed for in-depth restoration works and opened to the public again in 1986. Inside it has period furniture and carpets from the Royal National Tapestry Factory. It offers a year-round programme of artistic activities, with theatre performances, opera, ballet, concerts, cultural events...