Clustered with modern shops and offices, the downtown Merced District is home to long-standing covered markets Borbón and San José. Both have stalls for coffee beans, hot sauces, and chonete farmers’ hats, as well as food counters for beef stew and ceviche. Nearby, in a former jail, the Science and Culture Center has a kids’ museum, a gallery with work by local artists, and a theater for plays and classical concerts.