There are many attractions for tourists in Costa Rica, and the museums are among the best options to learn about Costa Rica’s richness and identity while you spend a few days in the capital city, San José.
Here is a list of the 9 museums every tourist must visit while in San José; these are very conveniently located, to the extent that you can visit several on the same day.
1.Museo de Oro Precolombino/ Museum of Pre-Columbian Gold
This gorgeous museum is located under the Plaza de la Cultura, downtown. The underground building itself is striking; it creates a mysterious and dark atmosphere that brings out the best of the gold pieces, which seem to be floating inside their glass displays.
The aboriginal pieces represent all sorts of native animals like frogs, birds, snakes, insects, crocodiles, lobsters, and sharks.
2.Museo de la Moneda/ Coin Museum
This museum is located in the same building as the above, and has both, information on coins and interesting samples.
3.Museo de Jade/ Jade Museum
This museum is simply impressive, because of the Indian pieces it exhibits. It is located in the INS (National Insurance) building downtown. Costa Rica has no jade mines, thus, the incredible amount and quality of the jade present here can only be credited to trade, in fact, it is the biggest American jade collection worldwide.
The collection is enormously valuable for two reasons: the mineral is very rare, and the pieces have important religious and historical meaning for Costa Rica’s Indian and general population. They show animal figures too.
4.Museo Nacional/ National Museum
It is located at an old fort that still shows the marks of bullets from the Civil War of 1948. It is composed of several rooms devoted each to a specific topic. The archaeological room presents Indian relics made of stone and clay. The colonial room displays facts about the conquest as well as some pieces of religious art brought by the Spaniards. Yet another room is devoted to modern exhibits.
5.Museo de Arte Costarricense/ Costa Rican Art Museum
This museum harbors some of the best Costa Rican art. It is found in the urban park, La Sabana, in a gorgeous building that used to be the international airport many years ago. The building is a piece of art in itself, and honors the beautiful paintings and sculptures it houses.
6.Museo de Arte Contemporáneo/ Contemporary Art Museum
Located where the old National Liquor Factory used to be, the place is incredibly interesting. It is a compound of very artistic and stylish buildings surrounded by open grounds. Exhibits vary regularly, and there are two auditoriums that continually present dance and theater shows.
7.Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle/ La Salle Natural Sciences Museum
It is located in La Sabana and exhibits a taxidermy collection of animals as well as a preserved display of fish and reptiles. Very cool for kids!
8.Museo de Entomología de la Universidad de Costa Rica/ Entomology Museum of the University of Costa Rica
This is a small museum located in the basement of the University’s Music School. There, you can see a big collection of Central and South American insects. The admission is free, but opening hours are irregular.
9.Museo de Criminología/ Criminology Museum
This one’s for people with brave stomachs. It is located downtown and presents weird pictures and body parts! It also narrates Costa Rica’s history of criminology and law enforcement.
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