Marine Exhibition Center of Punta Culebra
Encyclopedia
The Marine Exhibition Center of Punta Culebra or Punta Culebra Nature Center is an open-air museum located in Panama City
, on one of the islands connected by the Amador Causeway. It is operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
, also located in Panamá
. The center focuses mainly on marine biodiversity and conservation
in tropics
.
Among its attractions, there are many exhibits, aquariums, and a trail
to a stretch of tropical dry forest. A special water tank, known as "touching pool", allows visitors to directly touch some marine animals, such as sea turtles or starfishes.
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, on one of the islands connected by the Amador Causeway. It is operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, the only bureau of the Smithsonian Institution based outside of the United States, is dedicated to understanding biological diversity. What began in 1923 as small field station on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal Zone has developed...
, also located in Panamá
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. The center focuses mainly on marine biodiversity and conservation
Marine conservation
Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems...
in tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
.
Among its attractions, there are many exhibits, aquariums, and a trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
to a stretch of tropical dry forest. A special water tank, known as "touching pool", allows visitors to directly touch some marine animals, such as sea turtles or starfishes.