Museo de Oro Precolombino — Attraction in Catedral

The museum is currently undergoing renovations in some areas, but that did not take away from the overall experience. It is located in downtown San Jose and is underground. I would suggest planning a few hours to see all the exhibits; it is perfect for an afternoon that is going to rain real hard and prevent other outdoor activities.

There are tons of exhibits that take you from when the first people migrated to Costa Rica all the way through current times. One section shows how the money in Costa Rica has changed over the last several centuries.

There are many displays that show gold trinkets and jewelery from the various indigenous cultures around Costa Rica. You can learn about the different symbolism, e.g. what different animals represent to these cultures. In one section, you can sit and watch a video that wrapd around in a panoramic view that guides you through what the different worlds, from the highest heaven to the lowest underworld look like according to the Bribri.

There is a public restroom and a few benches just before the paid entry, down the stairs from the street entrance. With three teenagers that are interested in history, we spent approximately two and a half hours walking...

studying and getting to know the country always begins with a museum. Especially if it concerns pre-Columbian history. I highly recommend this pre-Columbian museum for this. Entrance fee is $16 and it is open until 5 pm. There are always a lot of visitors and it consists of three floors. It is located in the center of San Jose, under the pipes, under the square, near the theater. The first floor is numismatics, the history of Costa Rica through coins and banknotes. Commemorative gold coins tell about the wealth and interesting history of the country in the 18th and 19th centuries. You can immediately take the elevator down to the very bottom floor and start climbing from there. This floor is a godsend for a lover of pre-Columbian history, it tells about the customs and traditions of the tribes, about the culture and a lot of gold jewelry with a description of their purpose. The second floor continues to describe the traditions and how clay products were created, what they were painted with, how dyes were made. There is a hall with films about Costa Rica, traditions of peoples and tribes. Many interesting exhibits. I...

With friendly greetings at the gate, to the wide steps down underground, I was ushered into a quiet chamber of history, sharp contrast to the ruckus of downtown San Jose. Everywhere, well-executed displays of historical artifacts with concise interpretations. After observing countless beautiful forms and creativity, I encountered the display of the 2 men at the forge, melting gold. I sat for many moments and was transported across the eons to the exact time and place. So much more than a museum, it is a shining celebration of Costa...