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Museums offer more than samples of art, history and science to every place, because those visitors may also participate in workshops, concerts and plays. Costa Rica has a rich history that is well represented in its museums with objects and findings since the pre-Columbian times with their customs, traditions and handicrafts, made in gold, jade and stone, until the conquests time, the colonial time and even the present time. Most are located in the Central Valley, but are equally throughout the country.
Museums seek to encourage people to have greater participation in the arts and historic preservation of the country, so that makes museums in Costa Rica, responsible for the stewardship and conservation of artistic, cultural and historical heritage of Costa Rica. On May 18th is celebrated throughout the world the International Museum Day, which requires time to turn its gaze to the current situation of these institutions in our country. Museums of Costa Rica that are running at the time by province are as follows:
Museums in San José:
The National Museum of Costa Rica, Central and 2nd Avenue, 17th St., San José. Phone: 2257-1433
Central Bank Museums:
* The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Central and 2nd Avenue, 5th St., San José. Phone: 2243-4202
* The Philatelic Numismatic Museum, 1st and 3rd Avenue, 2nd St., San José. Phone: 2223-6918,
The Jade Museum, 7th and 9th Avenue, 9th and 11th St., San José. Phone: 2287-6034 
The Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia Historical Museum, 11th Avenue, 25th and 27th St., in Barrio Escalante, San José. Phone: 2221-1239
The Liceo of Costa Rica Museum, 18th and 20th Avenue, 7th and 11th St., San José. Phone: 2233-6784
The Sala Magón Museum, 3rd Avenue, 11th and 15th St., in CENAC, San José. Phone: 2221-2022
Shapes, Spaces and Sounds Museum, 3rd Avenue, 21st St., San José. Phone: 2256-1281
The Children’s Museum, 9th Avenue, 4th St., San José. Phone: 2258-4929
The Contemporary Art and Design Museum, 3rd and 7th Avenue, 13th St., in CENAC, San José. Phone: 2257-9370
The Costa Rican Art Museum, at La Sabana Park. Phone: 2222-7155
La Salle Natural Sciences Museum, Southwest Sabana. Phone: 2232-5179
The ICE Group Technological History Museum, 400 meters north from ICE, La Sabana. Phone: 2220-7656
Insect Museum of the University of Costa Rica, San Pedro. Phone: 2207-5318
The Costa Rica Jewish Community Museum, next to AyA in Pavas. Phone: 2520-1013
The Costa Rican Regional Art Museum, South side of the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, Tibás. Phone: 2240-9044
The Joaquín García Monge Regional Museum of Desamparados, Northwest to the Desamparados Park. Phone: 2259-9705
The Santa Ana Agricultural Historical Museum, Rio Oro of Santa Ana. Phone: 2282-8434
Museums in Cartago:
The Kurietí Indian Natural History Museum, 150 meters south of the Tobosi del Guarco Municipality in Cartago. Phone: 2573-7113
The Elías Leiva Quirós of the San Luis Gonzaga High School Historical Ethnographic Museum, North side of the San Luis Gonzaga High School. Phone: 2551-0895
The Omar Salazar Museum of Turrialba University of Costa Rica, in Turrialba. Phone: 2558-3717
The Volcanological Museum of Costa Rica, 5 km before the entrance to the Irazú Volcano .Phone: 2530-8013
Our Ujarrás Lady Historical Religious Museum, northeast side of Paraíso of Cartago Church. Phone: 2574-7258
The San José of Orosi Religious Art Museum, South side of the Orosi Church. Phone: 2533-3852
Museums in Alajuela:
The Juan Santamaría Historical Cultural Museum, 1st Avenue, Central and 2nd St., Alajuela. Phone: 2441-6926
The San Ramón Museum or José Figueres Ferrer Historic Cultural Center, North side of the San Ramón Church. Phone: 2447-2178
The Atenas Railroad Museum, Former Railway Station of Atenas.. Phone: 2446-0091
Museums in Heredia:
The Popular Culture Museum from National University, in Santa Lucia in Barva. Phone: 2277-3857
INBioparque of Costa Rica, 2.5 km east of the Valencia road to Heredia. Phone: 2507-8107
Museums in Guanacaste:
The Abangares Mine Ecomuseum Costa Rica, La Sierra of Abangares. Phone: 2662-0033
The Santa Rosa’s Casona Historical Museum, Santa Rosa National Park. Phone: 2666-5051
The Punta Islita Contemporary Art Outdoor Museum, Bejuco Islita in Nandayure. Phone: 2661-4044
The San Blas of Nicoya Religious Art Museum, next to the San Blas Park. Phone: 2685-5109
The Chorotega Ceramic Ecomuseum of San Vicente of Nicoya, 20 km northeast of Nicoya. Phone: 2681-1563
The Agony Lord Religious Art Museum, Agony Lord Chapel, 550 meters east of the Governorate of Liberia. Phone: 2666-0107
The Sabanero Regional Museum, 300 meters south and 100 meters west of the Governorate of Liberia Phone: 2665-0135
Museums in Puntarenas:
Marine Historic Museum of the Puntarenas City, at the Old Plaza Command building in Center Puntarenas. Phone: 2661-0633
Boruca’s Indian Community Museum, Boruca’s Indian Territory in Buenos Aires. Phone: 2721-2533
Terraba’s Indian Community Museum, Terraba’s Community in Potrero Grande in Buenos Aires. Phone: 2771-0511
Museums in Limón:
Turtle Museum, John H. Biological Station Pipps in Tortuguero. Phone: 2709-8091
Regional Museum of the Province of Limón, Posts and Telegraphs Building in Limón. Phone: 2255-3051
at a moment in which liberal ideas and principles of peace, progress and education material, characterized the society of 1880, where the laws related to education and the creation of cultural institutions prompted the birth of the museum. As an institution the museum belonged to the Development Ministry, to the University of Costa Rica and then again to the Education Ministry so that finally in the 1970s, became part of the Ministry of Culture and Youth.
1870 and in 1876 purchased the Costa Rican educator Don Mauro Fernández. The property was vacant from 1910 to 1914. In 1914 the government of Alfredo González Flores purchased it for the purpose of using it as barracks. In 1948 it stopped to serve as barracks, this is when the army was abolished as a permanent institution, and it became an education and cultural center, hosting since then The National Museum.
reflect the worldview, social structure, and jewelery from pre-Columbian people that lived in the actual Costa Rican territory.
The currency history in Costa Rica, from the “Real” to the “Colón”, is the new permanent exhibit at the Jaime Solera Bennett Numismatics Museum. This exhibit shows the evolution of the various means of exchange since 1502 until today, in a very dynamic way. The tour explains about money and its use, and portrays a very interesting history of the country’s currency as the use of barter, the use of metallic coins which had its beginnings in the colonial period, the use of foreign coins and coffee and banana tickets, the issue of banknotes of different banks until the Central Bank consolidation, the symbolism shown in coins and bills, among other interesting topics. The most beautiful and valuable coins, bills, dies and coffee and bananas tickets from the Central Bank’s collection are displayed in this exhibition.
of Costa Rica.
numismatics; reflects one of the INS objectives, to generate a social contribution, through registration, documentation and exhibition of expositions.
Schedule: from Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
the National Power and Light Company (CNFL in Spanish), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE in Spanish) and the Costa Rican Radiographic S.A. (RACSA in Spanish). Since then, the museum’s objectives are aimed to investigating, educating and communicating to the people everything about the development of services such as electricity and telecommunications in Costa Rica.
Sala Magón Museum Costa Rica (Museo Sala Magón) is located in the CENAC (Culture National center). The museum contains photographs and explanatory cards on people who have won the Magón prize since its inception in 1962 until today. To visit the Sala Magón is preferable to arrange an appointment with General Services, because the place is sometimes used for meetings.
extraction of juice, purification and concentration. Sugar cane was taken to the refinery in carts and then to the sugar mill, which was aimed to crush the cane and extract the juice.
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