Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Review

Spread over a ridge on the north side of Cerro Ancón and lined by trees, the home office of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), known as the Earl S. Tupper Center, has offices, meeting halls, a large library, a bookstore, and a café. A branch of the Washington, D.C.-based Smithsonian Institution, the STRI has half a dozen research stations in Panama, the most famous of which is on Barro Colorado Island. The institute also coordinates scientific studies in various other tropical countries. Most people head to the Tupper Center to pay for their tour to Barro Colorado Island or to shop at the bookstore, which has an excellent selection of natural history titles, as well as souvenirs.