Punta Culebra’s history dates back to the Spanish Conquest, when the islands of Naos, Flamenco and Perico were used as a harbor for the old city of Panama . Through time, this place served as a home to fishermen, a loading port for ships with deep drafts, a quarantine station, a defense base for the Canal, a camping area for young explorers and a site for STRI’s first marine investigations.

During the construction of the Panama Canal , these three islands were joined to the Isthmus by a 1,250,000-cubic yard strip of soil and rocks that were extracted from the Gaillard Cut .


The purpose of this filling was to stop the currents from the Bay of Panama and avoid sedimentation at the entrance of the Canal. The road is 6 kilometers long and is known as the Calzada de Amador or “Causeway”. From 1915 until the Second World War the islands that formed the Calzada de Amador served to defend the Canal.

At Punta Culebra you could find 15-inch machine guns and even a railroad that was used to transport military equipment, which was stored at the site’s air-raid shelter.

The hexagonal structure, which currently houses one of the indoor exhibits, was constructed by ex-General Manuel Antonio Noriega. Since the beginning of the 20 th Century until 1989, the area served as defense site under Panamanian or US jurisdiction. Because access to the area was restricted, the sandy beach and the rocky coast were protected from fishing and harvesting. Scientists affiliated to STRI and to the University of Panama have used Punta Culebra’s habitats as a main research area for ecological studies of the rocky intertidal zone and the organisms that populate the sandy beach.

Many of theses studies are unique and have become classic examples of ecological investigations of organisms in the intertidal zone of the Tropical Oriental Pacific.

The Punta Culebra Nature Center allows visitors to take a short journey through Panama's geological, military and natural history, and to learn about marine and terrestrial life through a unique experience.

Most of the constructions here are old military bunkers built during the First World War; columns date back to construction of the Panama Canal. There is also a small room, called "la casita", built more recently by old Panamanian Defense Forces. All of these spaces have been conditioned to hold temporal and permanent exhibitions and to serve as projection areas. 

Natural attractions

• There are two trails through a tropical dry forest, a typical ecosystem of the Pacific side of Central America which is almost extinct today. This forest is a refuge and habitat for racoons, iguanas, birds of all kinds and armadillos, among others animals that visitors can admire as they walk around. 
• The rocky shore, the sandy beach and a patch of white mangrove forest have plenty of marine life which is best seen during low tide.
• The sea life exhibitions show the magnificent biodiversity of Panamanian coastal ecosystems, particularly that of coral reefs from the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
• A pool that is home to sea turtles and sharks who swim among other colorful fish. 
• Experience touching marine organisms such as sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and even stingrays. 
• As they walk through the natural trails and the exhibitions, visitors will receive information from specially trained naturalists about Smithsonian research.
• A beautiful view of the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal completes this educational experience.

Short-term Projects

• The effect of food supplementation on the intensity and timing of reproduction by fiddler crabs. Tae Won Kim, STRI Short-Term Fellow, University of Seoul , Rebecca Rissanen, student, Universidad de Panama, and John Christy, STRI staff. 
• Visual and non-visual orientation mechanisms of fiddler crabs. Pablo Ribeiro, Universidad de Mar del Plata and John Christy, STRI staff. 
• Homing, and living in monogamous pairs in the giant limpet Siphonaria gigas (funds pending). 

Long-term Monitoring

• Seasonal, temperature-dependent variation in the timing of reproduction in fiddler crabs. John Christy and Karl Kaufmann, STRI staff (funded, exhibit under construction).

Current bilingual Interactive exhibitions

• Panama: abundance of fish
• Discovery Room: A journey with all the senses 
• Sea turtles: mysterious navigators
• Marine Physical Process and Panama's Upwelling Event 
• Rise of the Isthmus
• Educational Signage about Punta Culebra's environment and history.

Open Hours During the school year

(March to December)

Tuesday to Friday: 1:00 pm a 5:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am a 6:00 pm 

During summer vacation and mid-year vacation

Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 am a 6:00 pm