Museum

General Information

Concerned about the protection of our 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.

Museum  Store

The Museum Store Offers:

The Numismatics Museum

General Information

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.

Pre-columbian Gold Museum

General Information

The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum has an extraordinary collection of gold objects that reflect the world-view, social structure and gold working techniques of the Pre-Columbian peoples of Costa Rica. The exhibition showcases the use and function of the pieces, the technology of their fabrication, as well as their relationship to the natural world and the daily lives of these societies. The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work that date from 500 to 1500 AD.

The Gold Museum is divided into two levels:

   1. Introductory and orientation area on the second level of the building that interprets the social and cultural evolution of Pre-Columbian cultures. Also explained in this space is the development of metallurgy in Costa Rica, its stages and styles.

   2. Exhibition of gold pieces (on the third level). In this section the different uses and meanings of the gold objects can be appreciated. Before seeing the collection, the visitors can view an introductory video.

Temporary Exhibition Galleries

Deparment of education

General Information

The Central Bank Museums make up a cultural center which offers the general public a great variety of activities. The Education Department is responsible for the organization of conferences; courses and workshops; and music, poetry, and video cycles which complement the various exhibitions and constitute a further opportunity for entertainment and learning.

Educational programs for children and youth, as well as training courses for teachers, are among the other activities through which the museum contributes to education