Performing Arts

For those who like Flamenco dancing:
Flamencos (Spanish)
Info on Sophia Wanamaker Art gallery and Eugene O’Neill theater:
CR North American Cultural Center (Spanish)

Art Galleries

Amir art gallery:
AMIR ART
October 8 Art Gallery:
October 8 Art
Cali Rivera house of Integral art and the Artist workshop: Cali Rivera

Museums in Costa Rica

Of course the best way to do these tours is using a tour guide. For those who are interested, you can contact any of the below mentioned companies. For those who want to do the tours on their own, read up on it, get in a cab and have fun.
But if you want something more structured, organized tours are available

The Gold Museum (Museo de oro)

Concerned about the protection of the nation’s cultural and archaeological heritage, the Central Bank of Costa Rica undertook the collection of pre-Columbian gold objects between 1950 and 1974. At the same time, it started a numismatic collection and began acquiring works by Costa Rican artists. Initially the collections were displayed in a public gallery in the Bank’s main building, but as the collections grew it was decided to build a museum designed exclusively to house them.
In 1975 the Central Bank assumed sole responsibility for the Plaza de la Cultura project, with the aim of building a locale for the permanent display of its collections and contributing to the urban renewal of the capital. Construction lasted until 1982.
The building is a landmark of contemporary architecture in San Jose, built in three underground levels and roofed by the Plaza. The Central Bank Museums, housed here, today include the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the Numismatic Museum, and the Temporary Exhibition Galleries. The gold museum, owned by the Central Bank of Costa Rica, is located underneath the Plaza de la Cultura, right next to the National Theater.

The Numismatics Museum

The Numismatics Museum presents a historic perspective of the monetary system of Costa Rica since 1516 up to present times.
Through the 4,400 objects in the collection, including coins, bills, coffee and banana tokens and other documents, Costa Ricans can appreciate the monetary changes in our country. Research is done on the collection to gather information about the history of money, its relationship with the economy, politics, and cultural development, and to share this knowledge with the Costa Rican public and our international visitors through exhibitions, publications and public programs. This museum is owned by the Central Bank of Costa Rica.

The National Museum (Museo Nacional)

The national museum offers the following exhibitions:
Pre-Columbian History Gallery
This gallery is of an archaeological nature and covers the way of life of the Costa Ricans from 12 000 B.C. till the arrival of the Spaniards in 1 500 A.D. It is chronologically divided according to the change of economical, sociopolitical and religious aspects of the communities inhabiting the national territory, which corresponds to the following occupation periods:
1. Way of life of the Hunters and Gatherers (12 000 - 2 000 B.C.)
2. Egalitarian way of life in the village (2 000 - 500 B.C)
3. Way of life in the village under a cacique ( 500 B.C. – 1550 A.D.)
In this gallery ceramic, stone, gold, jade and bone objects corresponding to each of the occupation periods are displayed.
Indigenous Gold Gallery
It displays the museum’s gold collection, whose particularity is that some objects are situated within their archaeological context.
It rescues the vision of the indigenous peoples who worked gold and for whom gold had a spiritual value instead of a material one.
As you go along the gallery you will find objects associated to various themes that have been addressed: 1) All that glitters is not gold, 2)Magic gold and 3)Indigenous gold.
Among the items displayed, some animals such as frogs, alligators and birds stand out.
Objects worn on the body like medallions (gold discs worn as breastplates), necklaces, nose rings, earrings, bracelets and small bells are on display. There are also figures of miniature shamans.
Objects brought in by the Spaniards are also on show, such as rustic ceramic, a knife and glass beads, the ones that were exchanged for gold.
With this exhibition, the museum seeks to identify gold with indigenous cultures, which is the reason of its name.
The Motherland's History Gallery
It shows a global synthesis of Costa Rica’s historical development from the arrival of the Spaniards to 1940. It is divided into periods presenting the political, economic, social and cultural features of the time.
The exhibition displays a series of photographs, drawings and objects used by our ancestors and to this day as well. Such objects were used in the people’s daily lives, they were part of important political events, some of them are symbols representing ideals and customs, as for others they are samples of the creativity of artists who caught time on wood and canvas through their technique. But above all, each object brings to mind famous people who, regardless of their condition and through their vision of the world, built the roads to today’s Costa Rica.
Colonial House Gallery
It recreates the atmosphere of a colonial house. The walls, roof, floor, windows and doors are original of the era and were part of a house situated in the province of Guanacaste. They were taken out and brought to the museum to make up this room.
The characteristic austerity of Costa Rica’s colonial houses, scantily furnished, can be perceived in this section where a dining room and a bedroom are on display.
For more info on the National Museum, go to Museo Nacional

Museum of Costarican Art (Museo de arte Costarricense)

Unfortunately all related websites are in Spanish, but you should really go and see this museum which will show you beautiful art by Costarican artists. The museum is located on the east side of Sabana Park.