Costa Rican Art Museum

Facts: It opened in 1978 in the beautiful terminal building of the old airport. This museum houses a delightful permanent display of Costa Rican nationalist art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with over 3200 pieces on display.
The museum is located on the east end of the Sabana Park. Open from 10AM to 4PM Tuesday through Saturday and 10AM to 2PM Sunday. Entrance fee is 400 colones.
Information Telephone: 222- 7155

National Museum

Facts: This excellent museum offers the visitor exhibits on pre-Columbian art, indigenous culture in Costa Rica, and colonial life in addition to exhibits on Costa Rican history, archeology, geology, and historical documents. Located in the old Fort, one can see the bullet holes from the 1948 revolution still marking the walls. The view of San José from the observation deck is excellent.
Calle 17, Avenida 1-2. Open 8:30AM to 5PM, Tuesday through Sunday. Entrance fee is 200 colones.
Information Telephone: 257-1433

La Salle Museum of Natural Sciences

Facts: This museum houses one of the most comprehensive displays on the world on natural sciences with over 18,000 specimens, including African chimps, a two-headed calf and a whale skeleton. The exhibits are divided into four areas: paleontology, archaeology, zoology, and malancology (the study of mollusks). It is located southwest of La Sabana park. Open from 8AM to 4PM Monday through Saturday and 9AM to 5PM on Sunday. Entrance fee is 200 colones for children, 300 colones for adult residents and 400 colones for adult foreigners.
Information Telephone: 232-1306

Children's Museum

Facts: This is an excellent, high-quality museum full of hands-on exhibits dealing with technology, science, culture, art, and literature, all from a Costa Rica perspective. Especially noteworthy are the fun house and the earthquake simulator. This museum is perfect for people traveling with children, or those who have a young spirit.
Located in the old jail on Calle 4, Avenida 9. Open 10AM to noon and 2-5PM from Wednesday through Friday; weekends it's open 10AM-1PM and 2-5PM.
Information Telephone: 223- 7003

National Gallery of Contemporary Art and Design

Facts: Housed in the old liquor factory, this industrial site-turned-cultural is a wonderful complex of libraries, theaters, and galleries emphasizing current trends in art and design. Located on the west side of the National Library, Avenida 3, Calles 15 and 17. Open from 10AM to 5PM Monday through Saturday. Entrance fee is 300 colones.
Information Telephone: 257- 7202

Jade Museum

Facts: This is the world's most comprehensive collection of Pre-Colombian jade in all its spectacular shades of green. Pieces date from 500 BC to 800 AD, offering a long and colorful look into
Costa Rica's past. The lobby has an excellent view of the Central Valley.
Located on the 11th floor of the INS building on Avenida 7, Calle 9-11. Open 8:30AM to noon, and again from 12:30PM to3:00PM, Monday through Friday. Admission is 500 colones; students with ID are free .
Information Telephone: 223-5800

Information from Costa Rican Informer, Issue 5, March 2002