It has been under-construction, including significant amount of time with no construction, for the last 10 years. I have driven by it before, but not since it has been officially opened.
It has 8 galleries, but only 5 of them are fully installed and ready for viewing.
The highly sought after architect, Frank Gehry, designed the museum. The design of the museum is very much in keeping with his organic, non-traditional, and unique style.
Panama's Biomuseo is also surrounded by a new 6-acre Biodiversity Park designed by Gehry in collaboration with landscape designer Edwina von Gal.
The museum celebrates Panama's rich biodiversity.
The Biomuseo is designed as a public open-air atrium covered by a sequence of multicolored metal canopies. It is often referred to as having "colorful origami-like canopies".
These folded canopies are designed to represent both the many tin roofed colorful houses and the diverse flora and fauna of Panama. Panama is one of the most biodiverse places in the world.
When we are in the States, we usually call Seattle home.
Gehry created a similarly "folded" roof exterior in Seattle for Paul Allen's EMP or Experience Music Project building.
Gehry's design of the EMP tries to capture the music and guitar playing of Seattle native Jimmy Hendrix. (See the photo of the EMP on the right.)
I think the Panama City's BioMueseo is much more attractive than Seattle's EMP.
I look forward to visiting it.
Panama's BioMuseo in June 2014
