An endoscope insertion shape observation apparatus includes an endoscope, a magnetic field generation coil provided at an insertion portion of the endoscope and configured to generate a magnetic field, an antenna unit configured to receive a coil signal from the magnetic field generation coil, a bending portion configured to bend the insertion portion, a bending drive section configured to drive the bending portion to bend, an insertion shape processing circuit configured to generate an insertion shape of the endoscope inserted into a subject according to a signal received from the antenna unit, a touch panel configured to display a generation result of the insertion shape processing circuit and be able to perform touch operation, and a drive section control circuit configured to control a drive amount of the bending drive section based on the touch operation on a desired location of the insertion shape displayed on the touch panel.
