gehry was inspired by a variety of visions. for instance, to him, the building's multiple forms jostle like a loose crate of bottles. guarding the main entrance is jeff koons' towering west highland terrier, made of 60,000 living plants, which blossom in a carefully planned visual concert. a joyful structure, it takes viewers back to their childhood. puppy, as it's known to locals, was meant to be temporary, but the people of bilbao fell in love with puppy, so they bought it. stepping inside, you naturally flow to the museum's atrium, which acts as the heart of the building, pumping visitors in and out of various rooms on three levels. the glass and limestone panels overlap each other, like fish scales. each is unique, designed by a computer. joyful as the building is, the art it holds is even more fun. while the museum's audio guides give meaning to the abstract art, my hunch is that the artists are entirely happy for us to simply wander, interact, and play with their creations. this is art that welcomes you in. bilbao's gugge