Tropical Forest Panama

Tropical Forest Panama is open at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, at 1 Schenley Park in Pittsburgh. It's an immersive exhibit that takes you through the lush vegetation and culture of Panama's tropical forests, and it fills the 12,000-square-foot, 60-foot-high Tropical Forest Conservatory.

This wasn't put together from a catalog. Phipps staff—including Associate Director of Exhibits Jordyn Melino, Director of Horticulture Ben Dunigan, and Interpretive Programs Manager Adam Haas—traveled to Panama to see the country's culture firsthand. They drew inspiration from their time in Darién National Park, and that trip is what shaped the exhibit. Inside, you'll find live animal displays, new interpretation stations, and native plant species, including Panama's national flower, the Dove Orchid (Peristeria elata).

It's not just about the plants, though. The exhibit spotlights Panamanian culture, with a look at the Guna community and their hand-sewn mola fabric panels. The backdrop is a country about the size of South Carolina that's home to more species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects than the US and Canada combined, and whose canal handles around 40% of all US freight containers. It's a lot to take in, and the exhibit gives you a way to see it without leaving the city.

You can find it at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1 Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3830.