National Museum of Costa Rica
National museum · San José ·

National Museum of Costa Rica

National museum · San José ·

Exhibits on nation's history, culture, artifacts, butterfly garden

butterfly garden
costa rican history
historical building
archaeology exhibits
stone artifacts
former barracks
indigenous history
natural history
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by Photo by Héctor Calderón
National Museum of Costa Rica by Photo by Héctor Calderón
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null
National Museum of Costa Rica by null

Information

Cuesta de Moras, Av. Central, San José, Bella Vista, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions

Restroom
Family friendly
Free Wi-Fi
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible restroom

Information

Static Map

Cuesta de Moras, Av. Central, San José, Bella Vista, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions

+506 2211 5700
museocostarica.go.cr
@museonacionalcr
𝕏
@museonacionalcr

Features

•Restroom
•Family friendly
•Free Wi-Fi
•Wheelchair accessible entrance
•Wheelchair accessible restroom

Last updated

Jan 15, 2026

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@travelleisure
28,641 Postcards · 5,540 Cities

This Is the Most Budget-friendly Spring Break Destination

"A prominent cultural institution in the capital offering exhibits on the nation's history and heritage, making it a recommended stop for visitors interested in Costa Rican culture." - Taryn White Taryn White Taryn White is a D.C.-based travel writer who covers a wide range of topics, including family travel, hotels, food, aviation, beaches, historical and cultural topics, and wellness travel. She can often be spotted around the world with her husband and two travel-loving kids. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/san-jose-costa-rica-budget-friendly-spring-break-11691112
National Museum of Costa Rica
@travelleisure
28,641 Postcards · 5,540 Cities

How to Have an Accessible Costa Rica Trip, From Hotels and Tour Operators to Transportation

"A wheelchair-accessible national museum housed in a converted fortress that offers exhibits on natural history, anthropology and archaeology and includes a butterfly garden on the grounds." - Ashley Couto

https://www.travelandleisure.com/accessible-costa-rica-7975141
National Museum of Costa Rica
@afar
25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"National Museum of Costa Rica Thewallsof the National Museum still bear the scars of cannonballs. The museum, formerly the Bellavista barracks, was where prisoners were jailed, in cells that can be visitedby those interested inhow prisons and dungeons worked. Less grim aspects of Costa Rica are explored here, too, including a complete wing on pre-Columbian history and indigenous gold; a national history section, with photos and objects dating from colonial times to independent, republican days; and an area devoted to the country’s natural setting, including a great butterfly garden. In addition to the prison, the building’s past is explored inthe so-called Casas de los Comandantes—in useat theend of the 19th century andcontainingthe era’s luxurious furnishings—as well as another scarred wall. This one iswhere a mace blow was struck to abolish the Costa Rican army, turning the nation into an official land of peace. By Travesías"

The Best Things to Do in Costa Rica
Photo by Héctor Calderón
National Museum of Costa Rica
@afar
25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"National Museum of Costa Rica Thewallsof the National Museum still bear the scars of cannonballs. The museum, formerly the Bellavista barracks, was where prisoners were jailed, in cells that can be visitedby those interested inhow prisons and dungeons worked. Less grim aspects of Costa Rica are explored here, too, including a complete wing on pre-Columbian history and indigenous gold; a national history section, with photos and objects dating from colonial times to independent, republican days; and an area devoted to the country’s natural setting, including a great butterfly garden. In addition to the prison, the building’s past is explored inthe so-called Casas de los Comandantes—in useat theend of the 19th century andcontainingthe era’s luxurious furnishings—as well as another scarred wall. This one iswhere a mace blow was struck to abolish the Costa Rican army, turning the nation into an official land of peace. By Travesías"

Wood grain pattern
The Perfect Day in San Jose
Photo by Héctor Calderón
National Museum of Costa Rica
@nomadicmatt
6,682 Postcards · 1,172 Cities

My 1 Week Costa Rica Road Trip Itinerary for 2025

"If I only visit one museum in San José, it’s the Costa Rican National Museum — housed in the old military fortress, its permanent exhibition traces Costa Rican history from Pre-Columbian times to the present with in-depth, bilingual explanations." - Matthew Kepnes

https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/costa-rica-road-trip/
National Museum of Costa Rica

György S.

Google
The exhibition is fairly small and has a few gaps, but it still has some standout features. The butterfly garden is lovely, and the artifacts—while showing that historians still have a lot to uncover about the Indigenous cultures —are genuinely fascinating. It’s a bit surprising, though, that some pieces are dated so broadly, with age estimates spanning more than 600 years.

Patrick M.

Google
The National Museum of Costa Rica offers educational and comprehensive exhibits that cover the country's history, archaeology, and natural history, showcasing an impressive collection of artifacts and emphasizing the building's historical significance as a former military barracks. We entered through the butterfly garden, which fascinated us as we observed some butterflies. This garden was not present years ago, and we appreciate that the museum has added this feature. They have also introduced new exhibitions and expanded the building to include the indigenous Societies of the 16th Century exhibit and Costa Rica's culture, which is excellent. The museum closes at 4:15 pm, and the admission fee for non-residents is considerably higher than that for local visitors, which seems unusual.

bi I.

Google
It was a nice museum, but I found the exhibitions somewhat confusing. I wasn't given a map of the museum, so I had to guess the order of the rooms and the direction inside them, since you can enter them from multiple places. In the end, I wasn't able to understand the story of the army and the barracks that are now the museum. Some English translations also didn't seem to capture well what the original content was saying. I had a nice surprise when I was there: there's a concert every last Sunday of the month. This was my favorite part of the visit.

Simon B.

Google
Nothing to write home about. Nice museum but really needs a renovation. The exhibition itself is well organised chronologically but the signage isn’t so clear where to start. Everyone of the staff is really nice. The butterfly house looks a bit run down - very damp. The jail part is easy to miss but ok. Overall, not a must see but ok.

Krista W.

Google
This was a really cool little local museum. We were lucky enough to get in for free and we really enjoyed the experience. There was a really nice transition from ancient to modern history and the butterfly garden was lovely.

Arjonel L.

Google
When you enter you walk into a very well-maintained butterfly garden. We saw a few of them (they are hard to spot) and a lot of chrysalises. There were signs around the garden describing the lives of butterflies. The museum walks you through the history of Costa Rica, beginning with incredible stone artefacts up to 2,000 years old, through to the modern period. This is a great place for a tourist in Costa Rica to start to get a holistic understanding of the country’s history before beginning their travels.

Justin W.

Google
We had a great time here. The butterfly garden was a nice surprise. The stone spheres were fun. The artifacts and history are well presented with lots of signs in English.

Elle

Google
Beautiful museum. And very informative on Costa Rican History and Culture. You can start in the Butterfly Garden and go through the Pre-Colombian History section and then the Costa Rican History section and then visit the special exhibits and other rooms. I enjoyed seeing the historical artifacts they’d collected and learning about their historical and cultural significance and also just learning about Costa Rica in general. I would recommend either a guided tour or a self tour but at or towards the beginning of your visit. You don’t have to buy tickets in advance but be mindful that the museum closes at 4:15 pm even though the website says 4:30 pm.