The Panama Canal Museum

The Museo del Canal Interoceánico occupies the building on the main plaza of Casco Viejo that served as the headquarters of the French canal company in the 1880s, and it covers the whole story of the crossing: the Spanish road, the railway of 1855 built during the California gold rush, the French attempt that collapsed in disease, engineering failure and financial scandal, the American construction, and the long campaign that led to the handover in 1999. It is told from the Panamanian side rather than the American one, which makes it the necessary counterpart to the visitor centres at the locks.

What you actually see

• The French headquarters building - where the failed attempt was run from.
• The 1855 railway - the crossing that preceded the canal.
• The construction galleries - the human cost of both attempts.
• The handover - the transfer of the canal at the end of 1999.

When to go

Year-round; closed on Mondays. Mornings are quietest. Allow two hours. It pairs naturally with a visit to the locks, which cover the engineering while this covers the history.

Honest expectations

Much of the labelling is in Spanish with partial English, and an audio guide is worth taking. It is a history museum rather than an engineering one, so anyone wanting the mechanics should go to Miraflores or Agua Clara instead. Casco Viejo parking is difficult.

Nearby

The Golden Altar is a few streets away; the Miraflores locks are twenty minutes.