Miraflores

One of the most astounding challenges that engineers of the Panama Canal faced was an apparently simple fact: land is higher than sea level! To literally overcome this obstacle, three sets of locks or esclusas were constructed to lift and lower ships of incredible sizes to make the inter-oceanic passage. The Miraflores Locks are located at the Pacific entrance to the Canal, lifting ships in two enormous steps, and are the best equipped to handle curious visitors. Just a fifteen-minute drive from downtown, the locks work their colossal, technological magic under the watchful eyes of everyone who climbs to the observation deck in the Visitor's Center. This Center contains four floors of exhibits and displays, many of them interactive, as well as a theater, a gift shop, and a restaurant.