Punta
Culebra
Nature Center

Amador Causeway, Panama City

Explore and discover the natural
world through science

Explore Punta Culebra

Just minutes from Panama City, the Smithsonian’s Punta Culebra Nature Center invites young curious minds to dive into science! With hands-on activities, marine and forest exhibits, and outdoor trails, it’s the perfect spot by the sea for learning and adventure.

Attractions

Q?rioso

Get to know Panama’s nature and uncover its natural history using real scientific tools and discoveries. Play games, watch videos, and explore 3D collections in our interactive digital space—on-site or on your own device!

Butterfly Dome

Get up close with butterflies in our brand-new living exhibit LepiDome. Learn how they help tropical ecosystems thrive, how their dazzling wing patterns protect them from predators, and so much more.

Agua Salud Project Exhibit

Now you can explore STRI’s Agua Salud experiment at Punta Culebra, and see how forests, farms, and cattle pastures affect the land, water, and people around them. We depend on nature as much as nature depends on us!

Fabulous Frogs of Panama Exhibit

Panama is home to nearly 200 frog species! Meet some of these amazing amphibians, explore their cultural role in the history of Panama, and find out how scientists are fighting to save them from a deadly fungus.

Panama Coastal Fish Aquarium

Dive into Panama’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts and the colorful fish that live there. Meet amazing species and discover how they help keep our oceans healthy—with fun facts and stories from our expert guides.

Panama Freshwater Ecosystems Exhibit

Panama's rich aquatic biodiversity is not limited to its vast seashores. At our freshwater ecosystems exhibit, our guides share fun facts and information about the flora and fauna that are characteristic of these environments.

Aquarium

Visit our indoor aquarium and see the colorful array of fish, anemones and other fascinating organisms that coexist in coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Pacific and Indo-Pacific Oceans.

Walking Trails

Explore one of Central America's most endangered ecosystems—right here on our trails! Spot sloths, raccoons, iguanas, birds, and more as you walk through this unique forest that once covered much of Panama’s Pacific coast.

School Program

School Field Trips

The Punta Culebra School Program offers students a fun, hands-on science adventure in a unique outdoor setting. Students and educators can explore key science and environmental concepts through our activities and live exhibits.
Field trips run from April to November, Tuesday through Friday, with two start times available: 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Each 90-minute visit includes:

A dynamic educational activity
A guided tour of the center
Time for a snack break

We welcome up to 100 students per shift, with experienced guides leading each group. Click the link below to book your visit.

Make a reservation

Plan your Visit

Punta Culebra Nature Center is open to the public on the following schedule:

Days Open (From March to November)	Hours
Wednesday - Thursday - Friday	1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday	9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Days Open (December to February)	Hours
Tuesday - Sunday	6:50 am – 3:40 pm

Ticketing closes at 4:00 PM.
The estimated visit time is 1 hour and a half.
Closed on Mondays.

Closed on the following holidays: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Carnival Tuesday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  

Reservations are not required for walk-in visits, but entrance to the Center is subject to its maximum capacity.

Rates and Payment Information

Hours

General Admission Rates	Cost
Residents	$6.00
Non-Residents	$10.00
Retirees	$3.00
Children (under 13)	$3.00

Payments in cash, debit and credit card are accepted on the site.

Getting Here

We are about 3.5 kilometers from the Amador Causeway entrance. Turn right on the main road at the Mi Ranchito restaurant and continue to the end of the parking lot to find the entrance to Punta Culebra Nature Center.

Public Transportation

The Panama Metrobus offers transport service from Albrook Mall to Amador. Get off the bus at the stop in front of the Smithsonian Labs on Naos Island and walk southeast along the causeway. Turn right on the road next to the Mi Ranchito restaurant and keep walking along that road until you reach the entrance of Punta Culebra Nature Center. The entrance is about 250m from the bus stop.

Parking

There is a limited amount of parking at Punta Culebra. The station security officer at the entrance will inform visitors if there is room. Some large buses cannot enter the parking lot.

What to Wear and Bring

Most of our exhibits are outdoors, so we recommend light clothing, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, and an umbrella. Feel free to bring your own water bottle (a refilling station is available), snacks, and binoculars.

Accessibility

Punta Culebra has some exhibits accessible by wheelchairs; however, the forest trails behind the center and some other areas are not yet wheelchair accessible due to uneven terrain.

Amenities

Picnic Areas

Enjoy a beautiful view of the rocky shore and the entrance to the Panama Canal from our picnic tables.

Look-out Point

Don’t miss the perfect photo spots and scenic views! Head to our lookout point, where you can use a telescope to watch ships pass through the Canal—and if you're lucky, you might even spot dolphins or whales!

Team

Rebecca Rissanen

Site Administrator

Javier Jara

Site Maintenance Supervisor

Renier Vargas

Aquarist

Cruz Batista

Exhibitions Technician

Martha Mesia

Administrative Assistant

Raimundo González