Panama Canal Museum — Attraction in San Felipe

The Panama Canal Museum offers a captivating and comprehensive exploration of one of the world's greatest engineering feats. Located in the heart of Panama City, this museum brings to life the remarkable story of the Panama Canal, from its ambitious beginnings to its lasting impact on global trade and Panama itself. The museum's exhibits are thoughtfully curated and engaging, using a variety of mediums to tell the canal's story. Historical artifacts, interactive displays, and detailed models illustrate the challenges faced during construction, the human cost, and the incredible ingenuity required to overcome them. You'll learn about the visionaries who conceived the canal, the laborers who built it, and the political and economic forces that shaped its destiny. The museum doesn't shy away from the difficult aspects of the canal's history, including the yellow fever epidemic and the complex relationship between Panama and the United States. The museum building itself, a beautiful colonial-era structure, adds to the overall experience. The staff are knowledgeable and passionate, eager to answer questions and provide further insights. Whether you're a history buff, an engineering enthusiast, or simply curious about this iconic landmark, the Panama Canal Museum is an absolute must-see. It's an educational, moving, and ultimately inspiring experience that will leave you with a deep appreciation for the Panama Canal's significance. Overall, the Panama Canal Museum is an exceptional museum experience that I highly recommend. It's a place where you can learn, reflect, and be amazed by the story of the...

No eran “amigos de África” que han construido el canal porque tienen una visión de conectar el mundo... se llama esclavitud!! Y los amigos de Estados Unidos eran colonialistas.. se hacen un desfiguro con las “informaciones” en este museo.

This museum is the summit of incompetency and shows how we haven’t achieved any critical thinking whatsoever. Calling American imperialists and French investors “friends with a vision” goes to show that there is no critical understanding of (post)colonialism. Saying that friends from all over the world helped to build this canal is what stuck with me in the most negative way: IT’S CALLED SLAVERY. 30,000 people died building the canal but there was no information on that. Instead, just a ridiculous machine to measure the amount of water in your body. Are you serious??

$20 for a museum that neither explains how the canal works (we had to search on the internet for most of our answers) and that does not encourage a critical examination with the environmental, social, political, and economical impact of the Panama Canal. I do understand that the canal is of high importance for Panama’s economy but it did not help create a sustainable, even rise of wealth throughout Panama’s society. This museum helps reproduce hierarchies by actively not informing people on the negative impacts of the canal and the power play it was and is part of.

If you’re interested in seeing the ships, just go a bit further north. You can see them there, don’t have to pay the entrance fees and maybe critically examine the...

I'm a history guy and was looking forward to my visit. First, they don't take credit cards which seems not too bright for a tourist-driven museum. Second, I'd read much of the text is not in English and that audio guides were available. So I asked for an English audio guide. The two impolite women at the visitors desk said no audio guides were available because none were charged (it was 12p and I saw a box of at least 30 audio guides). I said I'd heard much of the museum is Spanish-only and asked if there was a way to charge an audio guide. They said no but offered one they thought had a bit of charge. I accepted. Then they asked for $3 and made very clear I would not get a refund if the audio guide stopped working. I gambled the $3 and it lasted 20 minutes. Whatever. The two museum workers then said the museum closed at 2pm even though on the website it says Sunday closing is 5pm. I only had a day to do this so I said fine. As written elsewhere, museum is mostly Spanish. The first floor has English, but it seems the volume of Spanish text to English text is 3:1. Something's getting lost. I can only use Google Translate for so long before getting dizzy. Third floor is all Spanish. It's really sad because this museum has neat artifacts, but their poor attitude and seeming lack of interest to cater to international tourists makes this a waste of time for anyone not very interested in the history. Miraflores Locks Visitor Center knows how to cater to...