Panama Canal Museum opens doors for 112th anniversary celebration

Families, students, and tourists flocked to the Canal Museum in Panama City's Casco Antiguo to commemorate the 112th anniversary of the interoceanic waterway's operations. The museum organized an open house, welcoming visitors from 9 a.m. to explore exhibits on the Panama Canal's legacy, its key figures, and its profound impact on the nation's development.

Among the attendees were student groups from various regions, including Chiriquí province. For many, it was their first visit to the museum and to Panama City itself. "This is the first time I visit the museum in Casco Antiguo. It is very beautiful and all the antiquities here are very impressive," shared one student, reflecting the awe inspired by the historical artifacts.

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This is the first time I visit the museum in Casco Antiguo. It is very beautiful and all the antiquities here are very impressive.

Visitors navigated through permanent and temporary exhibitions that chronicle the isthmus's history. The displays cover periods from pre-Columbian civilizations, colonial routes, and French attempts at canal construction, to the U.S.-led works, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, the regaining of sovereignty, and the canal's expansion. A museum representative highlighted that the institution's scope extends beyond the canal itself, encompassing the broader history of Panama.

The Canal Museum features 11 permanent and temporary exhibition halls, enhanced by technological resources. It typically hosts between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors each year. The Panama Canal officially began its operations on August 15, 1914, marking its 112th anniversary this year.

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The Canal Museum not only focuses on the Panama Canal, but we cover the history of our isthmus and our country from the time the isthmus emerged, going through different stages, and ending with the expansion of the Panama Canal.