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If you are anything like me, visiting museums in Panama City and a few galleries is a must. But with so many to choose from, which ones are actually worth your time?
Whether you’re on a short stay or already have a packed itinerary, I’ve got five museums in Panama City, including an art gallery that you can’t miss. Now, I know what you’re thinking…five is quite a lot.
I’ve called this city home for over three years, and while I’ve had the luxury of time, there were occasions when I stacked my museum visits. These recommendations are curated based on their importance and location: three are within walking distance of each other, which you could even visit on the same day, and the other two are just a short drive away.
Not only can you comfortably visit these over three to four days—the perfect amount of time to spend in Panama City—but the combination will both entertain and educate, enhancing your travels throughout Panamá with a deeper understanding of the land and its people.
Best Panama City Museums at a Glance
| Museum | Highlights | Location | Opening Hours | Admission | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomuseo (Museum of Biodiversity) | Panama’s biodiversity, Frank Gehry architecture, interactive exhibits | Amador Causeway (10 min drive from Casco Viejo) | Tue–Fri 9am–3pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–3 pm | Adults: $20 Kids: $12 | 2 hrs |
| Panama Viejo Archeological Site & Museum | Canal history from Spanish era to the handover | Avenida Cincuentenario (25 min drive from Casco Viejo) | Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:30 pm *last admission at 4:30 pm | Adults: $17 Kids: $5 | 2–3 hrs |
| Panama Canal Museum | Canal history from Spanish era to handover | Casco Viejo (Plaza de la Independencia) | Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:30 pm *Last admission at 4:30 pm | Adults: $15 Kids: $7.5 | 1.5 hrs |
| Mola Museum (Museo de la Mola) | Indigenous Guna Yala textile art, interactive displays | Casco Viejo (near Plaza Herrera) | Tue–Fri, 10 am–4:30 pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–5 pm | Free | 45 min |
| Casa Santa Ana Art Gallery | Contemporary art, community projects | Santa Ana (next to Casco Viejo) | Wed–Sun 10 am–6 pm | Free | 45 min |
Which Panama Museum Should You Visit?
- Best for kids → Biomuseo, The Mola Museum
- Best for culture → The Mola Museum
- Best free option → The Mola Museum
- Best for history → Panama Canal Museum, Panama Viejo Archeological Site
- Best for art → Casa Santa Ana
5 Panama City Museums You Can’t Miss (+ Art)
Museum of Biodiversity
Out of all museums in Panama City, the Museum of Biodiversity (Biomuseo) is a must. I didn’t visit it until about a year into living in Panama City—what a mistake!
The museum zooms in on Panama’s biodiversity and the effects the formation of the isthmus had on the rest of the world, such as changes in weather patterns throughout Europe.
It puts things into perspective and helps you appreciate the country on another level, so I recommend starting your Panama itinerary with Biomuseo. It’s also the perfect thing to do in Panama City when it rains, which is how I ended up there on that fateful day.
If it’s not the stories that lure you inside, it’s the intriguing architecture. Biomuseo was a gift to Panama from world-famous architect Frank Gehry at the request of his Panamanian wife. The colorful facade, representing Panama’s biodiversity, spreads out on Amador Causeway at the entrance to the Panama Canal. It’s unmissable, even from the plane.
The building has two wings connected by a large outdoor atrium. From the upper level, you get ocean views on both sides—just like Panama itself—while the ground level features panels that recount the country’s history in chronological order. All information is available in both English and Spanish.
A visit can take up to two hours, but there’s a café where you can pause along the way. The museum also hosts guest exhibitions in the halls next to the cafe and is backed by a small garden with local flora and fauna, including sloths.
During my visit, I lucked out with an exhibition of the first car crossing of the Darrien Gap recounted by none other than the son of the married duo of anthropologists who managed the feat. One of them was Reina Torres de Arauz, Panama’s pioneering anthropologist, who opened the eponymous Museum of Anthropology based in a former railway station on Plaza 5 de Mayo. The museum is currently under repair after being shut for about 10 years, but the project teasers reveal that something fascinating is in store. Watch this space!
Cost of Admission Breakdown
Panamanians and permanent residents:
- Adults: $10.00 (with ID)
- Children: $6.00 (5 to 17 years old)
- Students: – (with ID)
- Retirees: $5.00 (with ID)
- Four-person package: $24.00
Non-residents:
- Adults: $20.00
- Children: $12.00 (5 to 17 years old)
- Students: $12.00 (with ID)
- Retirees: $16.00 (with ID)
- Four-person package: $60.00
Archeological Site of Panama Viejo
Panama Viejo is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas, founded in 1519. It served as the base where the Spanish unloaded gold before shipping it to Spain.
In 1671, Panama Viejo suffered a devastating pirate attack led by Captain Henry Morgan (explains the pirate-themed ships docked in Amador Causeway, hey?) After that, it was left abandoned, replaced by Casco Viejo, and never repaired. What you see today in the Panama Viejo Archeological Site is UNESCO-protected ruins surrounded by one of the best parks in Panama City.
Your visit to Panama Viejo starts at the ticket counter, a fair way from the ruins. The site spans 29.5 hectares. A golf cart is at the ready to whisk you to the site for an extra dollar, but if it’s not too hot, it’s worth taking a walk through the lush grove of trees that passes through ruins of churches, convents, and houses.
The golf cart will drive up to the indoor museum that highlights the site’s history. Of course, the main event is visiting the tower. Thanks to built-in support, you can scale the stairs to the top for sweeping views of the ocean, the old city, and the modern skyscrapers of Panama City beyond.
The park is teeming with local flora and fauna. During the dry season (December to April), Panama flares up with vivid reds, yellows, and pinks of blooming flower trees that create colorful carpets as they shed. Panama Viejo is spectacular at this time of the year. Budget about two to three hours for your visit if you want to take your time exploring the grounds thoroughly.
Cost of Admission Breakdown
Panamanians and permanent residents:
- Adults: $11.00 (with ID)
- Children: $2.00 (6 to 17 years old)
- Students: $3.50 (with ID)
- Retirees: $5.50 (with ID)
- Free entry every last Sunday of the month
Non-residents:
- Adults: $17.00 (with ID)
- Children: $5.00 (6 to 17 years old)
- Students: $7.00 (with ID)
Tip
The following three museums are located in the Casco Viejo neighborhood. Break up your visit at
Museum of the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal Museum, overlooking Plaza de la Independencia, has a long history. In 1874, it was constructed as a hotel. Then, it became the headquarters of companies building the Panama Canal – first the French, led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, and then the Americans, before eventually being returned to Panamá. Finally, in 1997, the newly renovated building opened its doors as the Panama Canal Museum.
The bilingual exhibit spans two floors and traces the canal’s history, starting all the way from the arrival of Spanish colonists in the 16th century to the canal’s handover back to Panama in the late 20th century. It also delves into the political and social context, offering valuable insight before you visit the Miraflores Docks of the Panama Canal. Expect your visit to take around one and a half hours.
Cost of Admission
Panamanians and permanent residents:
- Adults: $5.00 (with ID)
- Children: $2.50 (5 to 17 years old)
- Students: $2.50 (with ID)
- Retirees: $2.50 (with ID)
Non-residents:
- Adults: $15.00 (with ID)
- Children: $7.50 (5 to 17 years old)
- Students: $7.50 (with ID)
The Mola Museum
Just a few blocks from the Panama Canal Museum, you’ll find the Mola Museum (Museo de la Mola). It’s a little world dedicated to the intricate textile art of the Guna Yala women, one of Panama’s seven indigenous groups, who stick to their traditions, from crafts to daily dress. The engaging exhibit explores the history and significance of mola patterns, which are handmade by layering, cutting, and sewing colorful fabrics.
It’s an immersive exhibit, featuring videos and a make-your-own mola mosaic. For a free museum in Panama City, it exceeded expectations. The entry is capped due to limited space, so you may need to wait. However, the visit typically takes about 45 minutes. After learning about the laborious process of making a mola, the meaning of motifs and colors, you’ll be able to choose the right one for your home from the women-run stalls along Paseo Las Bóvedas and behind the French Embassy.
Cost of Admission
Free entry
Casa Santa Ana Art Gallery
Tucked away in a building with no signage, Casa Santa Ana is a true hidden gem, located right next to Casco Viejo in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Panama City that I was lucky to get to know on this architecture tour with a local expert, Daniel. This gallery is a non-profit foundation that aims to connect people through contemporary art and make it accessible. It runs residencies for established and emerging local and international artists. Here, you can always find a fresh perspective on Panama, since in-house staying artists are often inspired by the country.
Another way the foundation gives back is by hosting La Leonera library for the children of the Santa Ana community, where the resident artists can also put on workshops for the kids.
During my visit, the work of Kate Pincus-Whitney and Merrick Adams was on display. Kate’s representation of Panama’s most iconic eats in signature neon and Merrick’s oceans painted over fishing nets hung side by side, perfectly complementing each other.
Expect your visit to take around 45 minutes, and I recommend you check out Santa Ana’s website to see what’s on and how to get there. Since there is always a special exhibition taking place, it’s one of the art galleries in Panama City that you’ll want to revisit, making it a perfect pick for those searching for things to do in Panama City if you’ve been before.
Cost of Admission
Free entry
I’m Curious…
If you managed to visit them all, which Panama City museum was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! If you didn’t get to them all, don’t worry. Visiting any of these key museums and art galleries in Panama City will add plenty of context to the rest of your travels throughout the country and help you experience it on a deeper level.
To save you time planning, I’ve put all of these recommendations and more on my free Panama City map. Download yours below, save it, and use it while exploring Panama City. Hope it helps!
You nailed it! I’m so glad I came across this article. It’s not usually advertised that way, but a lot of people don’t realize how much cultural depth Panama has. I’ve visited 4 of the 5 museums you mentioned, and the Biomuseo was a favorite, along with learning more about the Canal. Honestly, I didn’t expect there to be so much fascinating history. Thanks for highlighting Casa Santa Ana, I didn’t know about it, and now I’m curious to visit. Keep up the great work!
Hey Jess! Bio Museo blew my mind, and Casa Santa Ana is always worth it in my opinion. There is a cool exhibition happening there right now if you are around. Thanks for reading!