( CNN ) -- It stands at the entrance to the Panama Canal and took longer than the waterway to build , but a brightly colored biodiversity museum designed by architect Frank Gehry has finally celebrated its official opening . BioMuseo , a 4,000-square-meter exhibition space and botanical park , has been commissioned to highlight Panama 's natural wonders and its role as a geological bridge between two continents . With its vivid appearance , BioMuseo has become a familiar sight to ships using the Canal 's eastern gateway and to people using the nearby Bridge of Americas that connects to an offshore archipelago . Although its shape is reminiscent of Gehry 's earlier works -- which include landmarks such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao , Spain , and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles -- its bold color scheme is a departure . It 's Gehry 's first in Latin America , despite the fact his wife is Panamanian . Repeated delays . The museum was first conceived in 1999 , but bureaucratic issues caused repeated delays , meaning it took 15 years to complete -- five more than the Canal , which opened in 1914 after a decade of construction . Visitors to BioMuseo will pass through a series of galleries incorporating interactive dioramas , including `` Panamarama '' -- a three-level , 12-screen projection space intended to create an immersive rainforest experience . Built on a former U.S. military base , the exhibition is described on the museum 's website as `` a combination of art and science that leads the visitor to experience a marvelous phenomenon . '' BioMuseo , Building 136 , Amador Causeway , Apartado , Panama City ; +507 830 6700 .
Museum originally conceived more than a decade ago but has only officially opened its doors this year . BioMuseo is renowned architect Frank Gehry 's first building in Latin America . An immersive 12-screen projection space recreates rainforest in one museum gallery .