Panamarama

At the end of the Ramp of Life is an acoustic and light-lock passage that leads into a three-story-high, 14-screen projection space. Visitors step onto a glass floor and are immersed in a visual and audio presentation of the natural wonders of Panama, from its oceans' depths to its cloud forests.

The Panamarama orients visitors to the content areas of the museum's galleries, and also sets the tone of wonderment for their whole museum experience. Key messages include an introduction to the "biosphere" concept, a vivid tour through the widely varied and astonishingly biodiverse ecologies to be found across Panama's lands and seas, the aesthetics of life in all its forms and colors, and a breathtaking animation of the formation of the Isthmus of Panama and the wide-ranging global effects of this extraordinary event.

The film program will run on a repeating five-minute cycle. There will be a three-minute, mid-show projection to facilitate the flow of visitors through the space and to stagger visitor movement through the museum. The projection space is designed to accommodate 30 to 40 people on the glass floor and another 20 to 30 people on the adjacent circulation pathway.