Designed by the world-renowned architect, Frank Gehry, the Biomuseum is the first architectural work he has carried out in Latin America. Located at Amador Causeway on the entrance to the Panama Canal in the Pacific Ocean, this facility was designed to tell the story of how the Isthmus of Panama emerged from the sea, uniting two continents and changing the planet for good.
Panama Changed the World Forever
The Isthmus of Panama was formed relatively recently in geological time. The formation of the isthmus created a barrier between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, causing the two regions to evolve ecologically in different directions.
This emergence generated climate changes throughout the world, where tropical forests became savannahs, forcing many arboreal primates to live on the ground, a vast exchange of plants and animals back and forth between North and South America; and the formation of the access route that allowed the first humans to migrate through the frozen Bering Strait to South America. This is the great story that the Biomuseo tells.
Immersive Spaces that Tell the Story
In addition to the main spaces, the museum includes a public atrium, a space for temporary exhibitions, a shop, a cafe and multiple outdoor exhibitions organized in a botanical park. The permanent exhibition is a combination of art and science, which will give visitors the feeling of being in front of a surprising phenomenon. The 4,000-square-meter museum contains eight permanent exhibition galleries.
Biodiversity Showcase
There is a surprising variety of life on the planet. This gallery raises awareness about the topic of biodiversity and its importance.
Panamarama
A projection space with ten screens that immerse the visitor in an audiovisual representation of the natural wonders that make up Panama’s ecosystems.
The Bridge Surge
The forces from within the earth that formed the isthmus are presented in a space of tactile and physical encounter with the geological world.
The Great Exchange
A great stampede of animal sculptures, representing 72 of the species that began crossing the isthmus 3 million years ago.
The Human Footprint
In an open space, partially outdoors, sixteen columns tell the story of humans on the isthmus and their interactions with Panamanian nature over time.
Oceans Divided
Two semi-cylindrical aquariums and three fish tanks show how the Pacific and the Caribbean evolved in different ways when they were separated by the emergence of the isthmus.
The Living Network
A 15-meter sculpture combines plants, animals, insects and microorganisms to create the effect of being in a dimension where all creatures have the same importance.
Birds without Borders
A series of outdoor panels and murals tell us about the journey of migratory birds throughout the American continent and the fundamental role of Panama in this fascinating event.
