The Museo Nacional de Costa Rica is the national museum of Costa Rica, located at Calle 17, between Central and Second Avenue, Cuesta de Moras, in the Bellavista Fortress – a crenelated, ocher-colored building opposite the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica. The fortress was built in 1917 and was originally a military barracks: the exterior walls still have many bullets lodged in them from the country's 1948 civil war. It became the site of the museum in 1950.

The entrance on the east side leads to a courtyard displaying pre-Columbian artifacts and cannons from the colonial period. The museum is organized thematically in a counterclockwise direction from the entrance with artifacts related to Costa Rica's geological, colonial, archaeological, religious and modern history. The museum had a notable collection of pre-Columbian stone tables (metates), ceramics and a gold room ("Sala de Oro") in the northeast tower. The colonial room has a notable collection of furniture and is designed to emulate that of actual quarters in the 18th century. The museum also has an exhibit of the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Óscar Arias, and a bust of José Figueres and butterfly garden in the outside "Plaza de la Democracia".

Why You Should Visit:
Traces Costa Rica's development from its prehistoric roots the present day, and does so in an informative and visually appealing manner.
Good history of how the country lived through Central America's civil wars and quite an elaborate history of its most prominent Presidents, including the one female elected in 2010.
The entrance is unique, leading you to the main exhibits through a butterfly sanctuary and the museum setting itself is very pleasant with good views and nice gardens.

Tip:
If you haven't got time to check out the Jade and Gold museums, there are displays of each here. If you do have time to do all three, then buy the combined ticket, as you won't have to visit them all on the same day.

Mercado Municipal de Artesania, or the Municipal Craft Market, is an outdoor market where tourists can buy souvenirs, try local food or sit down and relax. Visitors may even get to watch some of the artisans work on their crafts.

Shoppers will find brightly colored accessories, wood carvings, handcrafted jewelry and art, t-shirts, baskets, pottery and more. The already low prices are easily haggled for even more affordable findings.

There are many open-air markets in San Jose. What makes Mercado Municipal de Artesania unique is the strong focus on handcrafts. While mass-produced trinkets are also available at the Municipal Craft Market, shoppers will find more decorative items than in some of the other outdoor markets in the city.

The market has room for 88 stalls and ample space to walk while browsing. It is located south of the Parque de las Garantías Sociales. The market is open from 8 AM through 7 PM each day.

The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is located in a subterranean building underneath the Plaza de la Cultura and is managed by the Costa Rica Central Bank. The museum has a substantial collection of over 1600 Pre-Columbian gold artifacts dating back to 500 AD.

The collection includes Costa Rica's first coin, the Media Escudo which was minted in 1825, animal (notably frog) figurines, amulets, earrings, erotic statuettes and El Guerrero, a life-sized gold warrior figure adorned with gold ornaments in a glass case. In Costa Rican history, gold was considered a symbol of authority and the items on display are a testament to the craftsmanship of the Pre-Columbian period. There is also a replica of a pre-Columbian grave containing 88 gold objects which was unearthed on a banana plantation in southeastern Costa Rica in the 1950s.

The National Coin Museum is also located in the same building on the ground level and features displays dating back to 1236 AD, including coins, banknotes and unofficial items such as coffee tokens. You can see the first coins created Mexican Mint which were established in 1535 by Spanish viceroy Antonio de Mendoza by a decree from the Spanish Crown to create the first mint in the Americas.

The mint's silver eight-real coins and its successor coin, the silver peso, circulated widely in the Americas and Asia well into the 19th century and became the basis of the modern national currencies of many countries in these parts of the world, including the United States Dollar.

The museum is relatively small, but the items on display are very interesting and extremely informative. This museum is a must-see in San Jose.

The construction of the National Theater building started in 1891 and the first theatrical presentation took place in October of 1897, when Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust” debuted to the delight of the crowd there.

The glory days of the theater came during the time when coffee exports for the country were at their best. There were many good patrons of the arts, and the quality of the performers was at its best. At one point, there was also a tax on coffee dedicated to the arts. That kind of free-flowing money also shows in the design of the building which is well known for lavish furnishings and a beautiful, rich looking interior that was designed to rival the great theaters in Europe.

In the front of the theater is a statue of Calderon de la Barca and Ludwig van Beethoven, which are worth taking a moment to check out. The same statues are featured on the country's currency. The theater performs several times a week.

Tip:
If you have a ticket for a performance, ask for the free English tour included in the ticket price to learn a bit of history about the place. Otherwise you can purchase a paid tour to see the play.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Jose was built in 1802 and has been the seat of the Catholic people of the city since. Sadly, in the early 1800s, the location was damaged by an earthquake. In 1871, it was rebuilt into the current structure that stands today.

The new center of worship combines Greek Orthodox, Neo-Classical, and Baroque styles of architecture together in a way that honors the old and new portions of the church. The Doric style pilasters and neo-classical pediment with steeples located on the side of the building are a fine example of how that melding of architectural styles happened.

You will want to pay a visit to the inside of this church also. The finely tiled Colonial floors and stainless windows are quite lovely. Various biblical themes adorn the windows. You will also want to check out the wooden Cherubs and figure of Christ at the altar.

In 1983, the church received a special visit from Pope John Paul II. You will be able to see a marble statue of him standing guard over the garden on the building's north side. Two former archbishops, as well as a Costa Rican President are buried in the basement of the building.

Tip:
Although not technically part of the cathedral complex, a small statue of Holocaust victim Anne Frank graces the pedestrian mall on the building's south side. It was donated by the Embassy of the Netherlands.

The Central Market is one of the busiest places in the center of San José. The market encompasses one entire block and is a fixture of the area since it was established in 1880. You will find stall after stall of almost anything you can think of purchasing.

The isles are narrow and can become very crowded at times, but the atmosphere is still delightful. There are fresh fish, fresh flowers, and delicious freshly ground coffee to purchase along with local bread, fruits and vegetables. Add a nice beer, and you can prepare an incredible meal from local products.

If you need a great souvenir to take home, how about some coffee beans? The best advice is to buy whole beans and grind them yourself as the local grind is too fine for most coffee pots. There are also freshly prepared meals here for those who come here to taste the local dishes.

The market is open from dawn to dusk daily. Make sure to have a map of the surrounding area with you in the market, as it is very congested and it is easy to get lost while wandering and exit from a totally different spot from where you entered the marketplace.

Tip:
Give the traditional ice cream flavor a try! Otherwise, eat where you see the most locals, as they know where the best foods are.