The Best Museums of Costa Rica

Click here to open the report in the magazine

 

Golden History

Costa Rica’s natural resources are known to many, but the country also possesses numerous historical and cultural treasures which impress the visitors in the many museums. Gold from the pre-Columbian era or religious art from the colonial period, historical agricultural tools or contemporary art are various exhibitions that can be seen mostly in San José and the environs. ...

 

The most well-known is certainly the Costa Rica National Museum (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica) in which, alongside an archeological collection, gold from the pre-Columbian era is also shown. The museum also offers an extensive overview of the country’s more than 120-year history.

 

A special highlight is the exhibition “Costa Rica: Tierra de Miravillas” (”Costa Rica: Land of Wonders”) which can be seen until December 2010. This internationally much viewed exhibition, already shown in Canada and which will later appear in Europe, presents fascinating archaeologically finds of jade, gold and ceramic.


Whoever is interested in art from the 19th century to the present will be pleased by the Museum of Costa Rican Art (Museo de Arte Costarricense): plastic works from native artists of this period are shown here.


The Insect Museum (Museo de Insectos) caters to friends of nature: many of the insects living in Costa Rica are presented here and their function in collaboration with other animals is clearly explained.

 

Even more information about Costa Rica’s animal and plant world awaits the visitor in INBioparque, a green theme park with numerous plants. It also includes other topics: ranging from alligators to butterfly gardens.

 

The Natural Science Museum La Salle involves itself with nature and its development. More than 70,000 exhibition examples show the visitor Costa Rica’s natural history, among these, more than 8000 butterflies, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
The luster of gold entices one into the Gold and Coin Museum (Museo del Oro): pre-Columbian gold, stamps, historical banknotes and coins let the visitor dive into the world of commerce and money. In addition, the museum displays historical documents and photos.

 

Connoisseurs of artworks and Jade jewelry are rewarded by entering the Jade Museum (Museo Jade): American jade collections dating from pre-Columbian times are displayed. And things made of ceramic, stones, shells and other nature materials are also shown here.

 

Coffee is also closely linked with Costa Rica’s history: how were the coffee beans processed back then? Answers to this are found in the Historical Museum of Agricultural Technology in Santa Ana (Museo Histórico Agrícola): agricultural tools dating from the end of the 19th century are displayed.

 

Many museums outside the capital city of San José also offer visitors many things of interest and many things to educate. Every year between August and December is when the turtles arrive in Costa Rica. Whoever wants to know more about these imposing animals and their thousand- plus kilometer trip through the ocean can view the interesting information in the Turtle Museum in Tortuguero. This research station is concerned about Tortuguero and its environment and has spent many years with the turtles and the animal and plant world of the Tortuguero Region.

 

Masks cut from wood and colorfully painted offer a view into the world of the Boruca Indians, a tribe with a long tradition. The Communal Museum of the Boruca Indians in the Fila Brunqueña mountains is lodged in a small ranch that was recreated like an original Boruca dwelling. Drums, masks and colorful knitwear provide a look into the story of this tribe in the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica.

 

Meanwhile, chocolate is growing more popular and there are always more designer types enticing lovers of sweets. In the meantime, chocolate is getting more in, always more noble sorts enticing friends of sweets. The growing of the base material cocoa has a more than 100-year history in the Caribbean. Whoever wants to enjoy the fine taste of pure cocoa can get his savor in the Cahuita Cocoa Museum. Here, everything relates to the cocoa plant and its processing.

 

In many Costa Rican souvenir shops the visitor finds colorfully decorated ceramic vases and pots. The ceramic craft has a long tradition for the Chorotega Indians. They show their craft in the Eco Ceramic Museum in San Vincente de Nicoya and present artfully produced ceramic goods.

 

In the Puntarenas Pacific Ocean Park crocodiles, cat sharks, turtles, crabs and many other marine creatures await the visitor.
Along with the above museums, there are many more in Costa Rica that are worth spending time exploring. CRS