Museums of Costa Rica

National Museum of Costa Rica

The National Museum is located in San José, on Second Avenue. It was founded on May 4, 1887 during the government of Bernardo Soto. The building housing the museum is known as Bellavista Fortress and became a museum after the army was abolished in Costa Rica.

Most of the objects in the National Museum are related to scientific research. Different kinds of collections are on exhibit temporally or permanently; the main collections are related to anthropology, Costa Rican culture and natural history.

Costa Rican Art Museum

Housed in the first international airport of Costa Rica at La Sabana in San José, the Costa Rican Art Museum opened its doors in 1977 thanks to the efforts of Guido Saenz. This museum exhibits a collection of works in all media by Costa Rica's most celebrated artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Rotating shows of local artists are featured, and the sculpture collection is one of particular note.

The main objectives of this entity are to recover and maintain art, and disseminate and encourage the arts in Costa Rica in all their various manifestations.

Pre- Columbian Gold Museum

The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum has an extraordinary collection of gold objects that reflect the world view, social structure and gold-working techniques of the Pre-Columbian peoples of Costa Rica. The exhibition showcases the use and function of the pieces, the technology of their fabrication, and their relationship to the natural world and the daily life of these societies. The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work that date from 500 AD to 1500 AD. It is located in La Plaza de la Cultura in San José.

Marine Historical Museum of Puntarenas

In this national treasure’s focus on natural history, archeology and history, is reflected the way life has developed in this region for thousands of years up until the present. Archaeological information which has allowed to know about the first settlements of indigenous groups in the region, how they got their food, taking advantage of the various resources of the area. The museum also shows the diversity of natural resources of the area, including its wetlands, forests, marine life, land animals and birds, demonstrating the importance of the Gulf of Nicoya and the islands in it. Highlights explore the natural wealth of the Cocos Island pirates and their treasures.

La Salle Natural Science Museum

The La Salle Natural Science Museum seeks to preserve specimens of animals that die by accident or naturally for research and exhibition to the public, displayed according to their specific habitat. In this way, it is an outreach and contribution to the education of native and visitor alike with respect to exotic wildlife.

Jade Museum

Located in the INS (national insurance) building downtown, this museum preserves amazing quantities and quality of jade, which can only be attributed to trade, since the country lacks jade mines. The exhibit in this museum is the largest American jade collection in the world. The collection is extremely valuable because of the rarity of the mineral and of the religious and historical significance that it has for the Indian population and for Costa Ricans in general.

Other Museums:

• Museum of Coffee
• Museum of Historical Photographs
• Museo del Ferrocarril
• Juan Santamaria Historical Museum
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Museum of Popular Culture
• Religious Art Museum of San Jose de Orosi
• Costa Rican Regional Museum of Theoretical Art
• Historical Museum of Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia

Source:  www.museosdecostarica.com