Museo Oro Precolombino (The Gold Museum), under Plaza de la Cultura. Tel 243-4202, .Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee $9 for foreigners (or $4.5 with a student ID card). The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work dating from 500 AD to 1500 AD. Information is given on the processing and making of the pieces as well as their social, cultural and religious meanings. At the same place you will also find The Numismatic Museum and The Temporary Exhibition Galleries. There is a nice museum shop and a tourist office at the entrance.
Museo del Jade (The jade museum), Avenida 7-9, Calle 9-11 bis, INS, now on the 1st floor. Tel 2287-6034. Mo-Fr 8:30AM-3:30PM, SA:9:00am to 1:00pm. Entrance: 8 Dollars. The largest collection of precolumbian Jade in America. Furthermore they show how Jade was elaborated in the precolumbian aera.They offer a variety of other objects made of stones, bones, ceramics, shells,... Moreover you get an insight in the daily life of the people in the precolumbian aera.
Museo de los Niños (The children's museum), antigua penetenciaría (the old prison). Tel 258-4929. M-F 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sa-Su 10AM-4PM. Entrance fee 600 Colones for adults and 300 for children.
Museo Nacional, Calle 17 Avenida 2. Tel 257-1433. Tu-Su 8:30AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee 2000 Colones. The museum includes a large butterfly garden and a collection of large stone spheres from the Diquis Valley near the Pacific Ocean. The museum building is an old fort last used during the 1948 revolution.
Museo de Arte Costarricense, east end of Sabana Park. This used to be San Jose's main airport terminal back when La Sabana was the airport. Tel 222-7155. Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Entrance fee $5 (students $3).
Insect Museum at the Universidad de Costa Rica A very elegant collection of exotic bugs. Only a few dollars, but check the times when they are open.
Museo de arte y diseño contemporáneo (MADC) Definitely the main institution in Costa Rica dedicated to the broadcasting of contemporary art. Centro Nacional de la Cultura, Antigua Fábrica Nacional de Licores. Avenida 3, calle 15/17. San José, Costa Rica. Tel: (506) 2257 7202 / 2257 9370 Fax: (506) 2257 8702. Info related to current exhibitions, schedules and admission fees can be found at their oficial website.