Landmarks
The city's landmarks include the Banco Central de Costa Rica building; the Banco Nacional building, which is much taller than other buildings nearby, giving the city its particular skyline; La Sabana Metropolitan Park; and the Avenida Central, a pedestrian thoroughfare and one of the major commercial areas in the city.
The Central Park and the Plaza de la Cultura are also visited by thousands of citizens and tourists every day. The Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (National Theater of Costa Rica), the Melico Salazar Theatre, and the Cathedral are also other landmarks in the central area.
Northward is a neighborhood called Barrio Amon, with many older and historic buildings of architectural importance. The Clínica Bíblica (a private hospital) and the Pacific Train Station are located in the south of the city, and are both considered important edifications.
Museums
Costa Rican Art Museum: This museum was opened in 1977 and its purpose is to have a permanent display of the work done by Costa Rican artists during the 19th and 20th centuries. The building that houses this museum used to be the Costa Rica International Airport and is located in the Sabana Metropolitan Park. The museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
National Gallery of Contemporary Art: this gallery is located on the west side of the National Library, just across from the National Park in downtown San Jose. The gallery opens from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.
National Museum: this museum has on display pre-Columbian art, documents and other objects of cultural and historic significance. Here the tourist will be able to appreciate the exhitions of Costa Rican History, Archeology, Geology and Colonial Life. The national museum opens from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
Entomological Museum: this museum belongs to the University of Costa Rica, the extensive display of insect life of Costa Rica is located in the basement of the School of Music, University Campus in San Pedro de Montes de Oca. This museum opens from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Legal Science Museum: this museum displays portraits and items related to the Legal Sciences and the Supreme Court. The museum opens from 7:00 and to 11:00 am & from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Fidel Tristán Jade Museum: presents the best Jade Collection in Costa Rica, with the addition of ceramics, stone and some gold miniatures. This museum is located on the 11th floor of the National Insurance Institute in downtown San Jose. The museum opens from 9:00 to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Museum of Natural Sciences: the collection shown on this museum is know to be among the most comprehensive in the world and it has been divided in four areas: Paleontology, Archaeology, Zoology and Malancology (mollusks). The museum is located southwest of La Sabana Metropolitan Park and is administered by the Ministry Agriculture. The museum opens from 8:00 to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Gold Museum: located under the Plaza de la Cultura park, the gold museum maintains a permanet exhibit of over 20,000 troy ounces of pre-Columbian gold figures. The museum opens from 9:00 to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
