There is no time like the past. A visit to the museum is a smart way to learn and have fun. With millions of objects to see, from pre-Columbian artifacts to taxidermy collections, there millions of reasons to visit the many museums of Costa Rica.
El Museo de los Ninos (The Children’s Museum) offers exhibits about children’s culture and their rights in Costa Rica. It also has exhibits about science, music and geography, all catering to young visitors. This museum is recommended for children up to 12 years of age.
El Museo de Oro Pre-Colombino (The Gold Museum) is home to thousands of pre-Columbian gold artifacts. The antiquities date back from 500 BE to 1600 AD when the new world was discovered by Christopher Columbus. The artifacts range from simple round earrings to intricate pieces depicting animal images. The Museo de Monida (The Coin Museum) is housed in the same building.
El Museo de Jade (The Jade Museum) located in the National Insurance Building displays an impressive collection of jade objects crafted through different techniques by the native Costa Rican indigenous people. Also on exhibit are pottery and metal works from the same period. The museum offers guided tours in English and Spanish.
El Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (The National Museum of Costa Rica) built in 1917 was originally the headquarter of the Costa Rican army. The museum showcases the history of Costa Rica from pre-colonial days up to the recent past. In addition, the garden courtyard offers visitors a magnificent view of the city of San Jose.
El Museo de Arte Costarricense (The Costa Rican Art Museum) popularly known as “el MAC” is located on the eastern end of Sabana Park. This museum exhibits a permanent collection of some of the finest Costa Rican art pieces. The collection includes approximately 2,575 pieces comprising of sculptures, paintings and woodcarvings. The museum houses a lecture hall called the El Salon Dorado (The Gold Room) where conferences and seminars are held. An exhibition hall, the Alternative Section, is used for temporary exhibitions.
El Museo de Arte y Diseno Contemporaneo (The Museum of Arts and Contemporary Design) houses contemporary national and international art pieces especially experimental works and new techniques in art and design. The museum occasionally holds exhibitions of art forms from young emerging artists.
El Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle’s (The La Salle Natural Sciences Museum) core possession is its butterfly collection. A taxidermy collection of other animals is also on display.
El Museo Criminologico (The Criminology Museum) is a pretty gruesome museum. Attractions cover bizarre pictures and human body parts. Besides the weird objects, there is a narration of Costa Rica’s history of criminology and law enforcement.
El Serpentarium (The Snake Exhibit) presents an exotic display of live tropical reptiles and amphibians such as poisonous snakes from Costa Rica, deadly cobras from Asia and Africa, giant pythons as well as different tropical lizards and harmful dart frogs.
Visitors of all ages will find these museums informative as well as entertaining. There is something for everyone, providing an insight into the history and culture of Costa Rica.