The Panama Canal is making steady progress on the modernization of the Miraflores Visitor Center, a project designed to enrich the visitor experience and create new exhibition areas for the more than one million people who visit the Canal’s attractions each year. According to the Panama Canal Authority, construction work is expected to continue through the end of 2026.

During the renovation period, waiting times to enter the visitor center may be longer than usual, particularly during peak hours such as 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The Canal is encouraging visitors to plan ahead while improvements are carried out to deliver safer, more comfortable, and more modern facilities.

The upgraded areas and new observation points will allow visitors to watch vessel transits from unique perspectives while also exploring interactive educational content that highlights the Canal’s global importance. With these additions, Miraflores is expected to further strengthen its position as one of Panama’s leading tourist destinations.

The Canal Authority also noted that in 2025, its visitor centers surpassed one million visitors in a single fiscal year for the first time. On high-traffic days, the facilities receive more than 4,000 visitors, reflecting continued public interest in experiencing the operation of the Panama Canal up close. This growth also follows milestones such as the opening of the Gatún Locks Lookout in April 2025, which expanded the Canal’s tourism offering in Colón as part of the Agua Clara Visitor Center.

According to María Gabriela Ávila, administrator of the Panama Canal Visitor Centers, the project is transforming the tourism experience at Miraflores through safe and modern infrastructure that also strengthens the value chain of Panama’s tourism industry.