While on your trip to Panamá, you’ll want to learn all about the country’s most famous attraction: The Panama Canal! Visiting the Panama Canal Museum is just the place to do it, and is an easy addition to any itinerary, no matter how long or short. The museum is located in Casco Viejo, Panama City’s Old Town. This part of town is very safe for tourists, and is the most beautiful corner of the city! The museum itself is full to the brim of information and history about the canal. You’re sure to leave with a lot more knowledge than when you arrived! Here are my top 6 tips for visiting the Panama Canal Museum!
Read More: Visiting Panama City, Panamá: My Top 8 Tips
1. Download Spanish on Google Translate Ahead of Time
Prior to visiting the Panama Canal Museum, you’re going to want to make sure you have Spanish downloaded on Google Translate, or another similar app! Upon entering the museum, cell service is plentiful. However, weirdly enough, once you enter the museum and walk to the second floor, service cuts off almost immediately. I then had to walk back down to the lobby to get enough bars to download Spanish translation on my phone. Plan ahead and make sure you do this prior to your visit.
2. Use the Camera Translate Feature
The museum offers a ton of information and history about the museum. In addition to a lot of artifacts, I found there to be an exceptional amount of signage and reading. More reading than any other museum I’ve ever been to! While some of the info cards and signs offered an English translation, most did not. I downloaded the Google Translate app on my phone and used the camera feature to translate the signs. It’s amazing how quickly it can translate full sentences and paragraphs with ease! I felt like I wasn’t missing a beat waiting for translations, and I was able to snap, read, and move on.
3. Visit Mid-Day
Planning your day and visiting the Panama Canal Museum mid-day is going to be your best bet. The museum is three floors (two full floors of exhibits) and can take some time to fully explore and digest. That means time out of the heat and humidity! The museum is open daily (except Mondays) from 9 am – 6 pm. I’d recommend arriving between 12 and 2 pm to make sure you have plenty of time to see everything, while also strategically keeping yourself cool during the hottest times of the day.
4. Bring your Student ID
Still have that old college ID card in your desk drawer? This would be the time to break it out! When visiting in November 2023, a regular adult admission ticket was $15.00. However, with a student ID the ticket is half off- only $7.50! You’ll need to present the ID to the desk when purchasing the ticket, and there were no questions asked. Sure, this may be a little unethical if you’re not actually enrolled in school, but it’s an easy way to save some money!
5. Take an Uber There (Not a Taxi!)
As a general rule of thumb while visiting Panamá, you’ll want to stick to Ubers instead of taxis. Uber is the recommended mode of transportation for tourists and I was advised by many people both before and during my trip to never use a cab. Unfortunately, taxi drivers have a reputation of being unsafe for tourists, and also potentially an easy way to get scammed. If you’re staying in the downtown area of Panama City, or are coming from the airport or a cruise ship, definitely opt for an Uber ride to the museum instead of a taxi.
6. Spend Time Exploring Casco Viejo
Either before or after your time visiting the Panama Canal Museum, you’ll definitely want to wander the nearby neighborhood of Casco Viejo! Casco Viejo literally translates to Old Town, and this is by far the most beautiful corner of Panama City. The neighborhood is filled with old brightly-colored buildings, ruins, town squares, and picturesque bars and restaurants! Directly across the street from the museum is Independence Square, which is home to a beautiful stone gazebo and local vendors during the day. Next door is the Museum of Panamanian History, and just a few blocks away is the National Theatre– both are not to be missed! A short walk to France Square and around the pedestrian walkway will bring you more local vendors and incredible views of the city’s skyscrapers, Cinta Costera, and Panama Bay. Stop for lunch at the Mahalo Snack Shack, and grab a scoop of gelato at Benissimo!
Read More: How to Spend One Day in Casco Viejo, Panama City
Traveling soon? Check out my Travel Tips page to help you score good deals on flights, packing tips, tools to help you plan, and more!
No Comments