Biomuseo
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| Established | 2 October 2014 |
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| Location | Causeway Islands, Panama City, Panama |
| Coordinates | 8°55′57″N 79°32′42″W / 8.9325°N 79.5449°WCoordinates: 8°55′57″N 79°32′42″W / 8.9325°N 79.5449°W |
| Website | Official website |
Biomuseo is a museum focused on the natural history of Panama, whose isthmus was formed very recently in geologic time, with major impact on the ecology of the Western Hemisphere. Located on the Amador Causeway in Panama City, Panama, it was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. This is Gehry's first design for Latin America. The design was conceived in 1999 and the museum opened on 2 October 2014.[1]
The Biomuseo highlights Panama's natural and cultural history, emphasizing the role of humans in the XXI century. Its galleries tell the story of how the rise of the isthmus of Panama changed the world.
Location[]
Biomuseo is located in Amador, also known as Causeway, at the south entrance of the Panama Canal. You can get there taking a taxi or using the bus.
The building and its galleries[]
With 4,000 square meters, the Biomuseo has 8 galleries for its permanent exhibits, designed in sequence by Bruce Mau Design.[2] Besides the main spaces the museum also has a public atrium, a space for temporary exhibits, a gift store, a coffee shop and exterior exhibits in a botanical garden designed by Edwina von Gal.
On October 2, 2014 the Biomuseo opened the first 5 galleries to the public, including the Gallery of Biodiversity, an introduction to Panama's natural heritage, Panamarama, a three-level projection space with 10 screens, Building the Bridge, showing the geological formation of the Isthmus of Panama through a hand's on display, Worlds Collide, showing the extraordinary exchange of species between North and South America when the Isthmus closed, and The Human Path, a space partially open to the outdoors, with 16 columns providing information about human impact on the natural world.
The last 3 galleries, expected to open by 2018, are Oceans Divided, two large semi-circular aquariums showing how the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea evolved once they were separated by the isthmus, The Living Web, a large, living sculpture, part plant, animal, insect and microorganism, that gives visitors the experience of the interconnectedness of life, and Panama is the Museum, and external space inviting visitors to continue exploring Panama after leaving the museum.
Social effect[]
The Gehry design is expected to attract tourists and help grow Panama's cultural attractions. The museum may have a similar effect as Gehry's Guggenheim design had for Bilbao, which rejuvenated and placed the city on the map as an important architectural destination.
References[]
- ^ Dobrzynski, Judith H. (23 October 2014). "Biomuseo Showcases Panama's Ecological Diversity". The New York Times.
- ^ "Home - Bruce Mau Design". www.brucemaudesign.com.
- Germano, Celant (2010). Frank O. Gehry since 1997. New York: Rizzoli International Publications. p. 318.
- Forbes, Elise. "The panama biodiversity museum designed by frank gehry". Panama Magazine.
- Aguilera, Isabel. "Panama Biodiversity". Panama Travel Group.[permanent dead link]
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Biomuseo. |
- Official website
- visitpanama.com Archived 2019-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
- Frank Gehry buildings
- Museums in Panama City
- Natural history museums