Plan
Your Visit
Note: The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is now open for research. Our facilities are available with capacity limitations to support the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. All scientific visitors will need to register through the Visitor Services Office (VSO) before planning travel.
If you are an academic or scientific program partner interested in resuming courses or field trips to a STRI facility, please submit your request via the VSO. We are working with our partners to ensure that courses and field trips to STRI facilities can resume safely.
General public visits to Punta Culebra Nature Center, Barro Colorado Island, Galeta Marine Station and Bocas del Toro facility will resume at a future date. Please continue to check this website for further updates.
| General Admission Rates | Cost |
|---|---|
| Children under 17 | $2.00 |
| College Students | $2.50 |
| Adults | $3.00 |
| Retirees | $1.50 |
| International Visitors | $5.00 |
| Days open | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday - Sunday | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
| Special Guided Tours | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tour in Spanish | $50.00 |
| Tour in English | $60.00 |
Closed to the public on Mondays and select holidays.
Accessibility
The main station is wheelchair accessible but the mangrove trails and rooftop are not.
What to Bring
We recommend you wear long sleeve shirts and pants, and bring a hat, suntan lotion, insect repellent, water and a pair of binoculars. The weather at Galeta is dry from December to March, and rainy between April and November. During the rainy season, Galeta may be visited by chitras or sand flies.
Safety and Security
Please review our safety and security guidelines.
Getting here
Our location
The station is a 9-km drive north from Colón’s at the Cuatro Altos intersection at the northern terminus of the Panama-Colón toll highway. From there, take the Av. Randolph past the Manzanillo and Colón Container ports and then follow the signage to the protected area.
Directional map
Contact Us
For reservations and information
Reservations are required to visit the station. Please give us at least two weeks’ notice.
