The Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo in Panama is set to open. The biodiversity and natural history museum has been in construction for almost ten years.
The museum, which is located on the Amador Causeway at the entrance to the Panama Canal, has been designed to showcase the diverse range of species found in the region and represents Gehry's first built work in Latin America.
The 43,000sq m (452,084sq ft) facility features eight permanent exhibition galleries which were designed in consultation with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Most of the exhibition galleries will be created by Bruce Mau Design.
The concrete and steel museum also houses temporary gallery space and a public atrium, as well as a cafe and shop. A landscaped botanical garden by Edwina von Gal includes space for outdoor exhibits.
Gehry's “fragmented and asymmetrical” design features undulating roof panels, with the form and colour of the building intended to reflect the region's tropical environment while combining art with science.
Since ground was broken at the site in 2005 the facility has suffered a number of funding and construction setbacks, with $95m (€69m, £57m) already spent, but the government in Panama hopes the museum will appeal to a broad range of visitors and drive tourist revenue.
The museum is also scheduled to host a number of cultural events throughout the year, including music concerts and private functions.
No official date for opening has been given, but it could coincide with the upcoming presidential election in May.
