MAC Panamá in Casco Viejo, A New Chapter for Contemporary Art

The new MAC Panamá – Casco Antiguo has quickly become one of the most exciting cultural stops in the historic quarter. It offers visitors an intimate look at what has always been Panama City’s cultural heart—now with something new pulsing inside its historic walls: a satellite exhibition space of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Panamá (MAC Panamá). Located in the San Juan de Dios building—the same landmark that houses Bruma and La Barbera restaurants. This new venue brings Panama’s contemporary art scene right into the pedestrian-friendly streets of Casco Antiguo.

For more than 60 years, MAC Panamá’s main home has been in Ancón, inside the old YMCA building on Avenida de los Mártires. That museum remains the country’s only dedicated contemporary art institution, with a collection of more than 1,200 works by Panamanian, Latin American, and international artists. This art museum in Casco Viejo space doesn’t replace it; instead, it opens the door wider, offering locals and visitors alike a more accessible way to experience contemporary art in Panama.

Why Visit this Museum in Casco Viejo Panama

The inaugural exhibition in Casco is an adaptation of a show first held at the Ancón museum between September 2023 and January 2024, commemorating MAC’s 60th anniversary. It isn’t a dry timeline of facts. Instead, it’s a thoughtful reflection on the museum’s past, present, and future.

The exhibition uses works from the permanent collection, archival materials, and new artist interventions. Together they explore the moments and vulnerabilities that have shaped MAC.

Rather than presenting one “official story,” the curators embraced a polyphonic approach—a chorus of voices and perspectives that show MAC as a living, evolving organism.

Artists in Dialogue

To deepen this reflection, several artists were invited to create new works in dialogue with the museum’s legacy:

Visiting the New MAC Space in Casco

For travelers, MAC Museum Casco Viejo Panama is an easy entry point into Panama’s contemporary art story. You can step inside while strolling the old quarter, and in minutes be immersed in a world of creativity that connects past and present.

And here’s the best part: your admission ticket to the Casco space also covers entry to the main contemporary museum in Panama City MAC Museum in Ancón for 14 days. That means if you begin your Panama journey in the city and end it here as well, you can break the experience into two visits. Start in Casco, where the museum feels intimate and immediate. Then return to Ancón before you leave, where the larger collection ties together the questions and connections you’ve carried through your stay.

Before you go, make sure to stop by the gift corner. It’s small but carefully curated, offering beautifully made, easy-to-pack items that work as thoughtful gifts for others—or as a personal keepsake that will never let you forget your time in Panama.

MAC Panamá | Casco Antiguo is proof that art here isn’t confined to walls. It lives in the conversations we share, the stories we revisit, and the futures we dare to imagine. And thanks to this new space, it’s also a memory you can carry home with you.

“Don’t miss the Museum Casco Viejo Panama during your stay—it connects history, art, and community in a way few places can.”