Today, cultural life is mainly concentrated in San José, where visitors can see the Teatro Nacional (National Theater), the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) and the Museo de Jade (Jade Museum), among others. Ticos love going to the theater to see concerts, ballets and operas. They often joke that there’s one theater for every inhabitant! Numerous exhibitions on a variety of themes are frequently held. The Sinac and the Antigua Aduana are the main venues for exhibitions of all kinds.
To the east of the Plaza de la Democracia, the National Museum represents the country’s memory. A veritable journey through the history of Costa Rica, it features three main themes: anthropology, cultural history and natural history. One of the rooms, dedicated to archaeology, teaches us about the evolution of the Indians in Costa Rica; another shows us how the country has developed since the arrival of the Spaniards. There is also an important collection of stones, gold, jade and ceramics. The museum also celebrates 200 years of coffee cultivation.
