Ideal for families, the CEM is operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). This informative marine museum features two small aquariums and a nature trail through a patch of dry forest containing sloths and iguanas. Signs in English and Spanish.
Separate aquariums contain fish from the Pacific and the Caribbean, allowing you to compare the two sets. Staff on hand can explain to you the reasons for the differences. Exhibits examine the role that Panama’s marine resources play in the country’s economy, and the destructive effects of harvesting fish and shrimp by net.
Exhibits include a small six-sided building with sweeping views of the Bahía de Panamá, built by Noriega for intimate gatherings. Today, it has exhibits on the history of Panama’s indigenous cultures.
Outside, large, intelligent illustrations of vessels allow visitors to glance out at the ocean and identify the types of ships waiting to transit the canal, aided by a telescope.
The forest just south of the Puente de las Américas is a surviving patch of dry forest, which once lined Central America’s Pacific coast. Keep your eyes open for three-toed sloths as well as other wildlife.
