Panama Canal Experience: Imax, Agua Clara Locks & Former Canal Zone

OVERVIEW

Gain a unique understanding of the Panama Canal’s innovative Agua Clara locks through an immersive IMAX film and then by watching the locks in operation. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the film clearly and intriguingly explains the complexities, construction and challenges of the canal, both past and present. The Agua Clara locks, which opened in 2016, expanded the canal with an alternative lane that accommodates ships that are too massive for the original locks. The newest locks also feature a more environmentally friendly design that conserves water and reduces CO2 emissions. Still, nothing compares to seeing them in person. A scenic drive to the Atlantic side of Panama will bring you to the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center, where you can delve even deeper into the history of the Panama Canal and the proposed changes to the canal. The center’s observation platform offers an excellent view of the ships transiting the locks.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch a high-resolution IMAX film that details the history of the Panama Canal.
• Discover how the Agua Clara locks allow ships once too large for the canal to now transit it.
• See the Agua Clara locks in operation from an observation platform at a visitor center.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.