In a century-old structure that has served as both jail and armory, this museum chronicles Costa Rican history from early European settlement through the 19th century, with special emphasis on Juan Santamaría and the pivotal mid-1850s battles of Santa Rosa, Sardinal and Rivas. Exhibits include videos, vintage maps, paintings and historical artefacts related to the conflict that ultimately safeguarded Costa Rica's independence.
Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría
Central Valley & Highlands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
10.99 MILES
On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned…
13.51 MILES
This polished storybook garden complex just east of Volcán Poás offers the most easily digestible cultural experience in the Central Valley and is the…
11.25 MILES
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Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismática
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10.63 MILES
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Catarata del Toro & the Blue Falls
16.78 MILES
Find a beautiful 90m-tall waterfall that cascades into a volcanic crater (free for overnight guests) and two trail options through virgin forest (one 4…
16.71 MILES
In front of the Church of San Rafael, this park was a normal plaza until the 1960s, when a gardener named Evangelisto Blanco became inspired to shave the…
11.31 MILES
Entered via a beautiful glassed-in atrium housing an exotic butterfly garden, this museum provides a quick survey of Costa Rican history. Exhibits of pre…
Nearby Central Valley & Highlands attractions
0.04 MILES
The shady Parque Central is a pleasant place to relax beneath the mango trees or people-watch in the evenings.
0.09 MILES
East of Parque Central is this 19th-century Roman Catholic church, which suffered severe damage and was reconstructed after earthquakes in 1941 and 1991…
0.15 MILES
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4.07 MILES
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5. Las Cataratas de Los Chorros
4.98 MILES
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6. Refugio Herpetologico de Costa Rica
6.58 MILES
Costa Rica is full of wild reptiles, but for people who prefer meeting things with scales under controlled circumstances, there's the Refugio…
6.73 MILES
About 5km south of Grecia, a bend in the road leads to an 18th-century rock bridge connecting the hamlets of Puente de Piedra and Rincón de Salas. Locals…
6.73 MILES
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