Published Monday, June 8, 2020
Museums and National
Theater reopen


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Museums in the center of San José are ready to receive visitors once again, following the precautionary measures ordered by the Ministry of Health.

The museums that will open for the public this week are Central Bank Museum, Jade Museum and the National Museum of Costa Rica.

The Museums of the Central Bank of Costa Rica, located under the Plaza de la Cultura reopens today. It will have a temporary schedule of 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets must be purchased through the website boleteria.museosdelbancocentral.org or by calling 5026 2243 4223.

The entry price for Costa Ricans and residents is ¢ 2,500 colones. Student tickets cost ¢ 500 colones.

Foreign tourists will continue to pay $14 and foreign students $10.

Starting August 24, museums will resume free Wednesdays and Sundays 2x1 entrance.

The Central Bank Museum currently holds the Picasso: Suite Vollard exhibition until August 23.

In addition to this international exhibition, those who visit the museum will be able to enjoy the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the Numismatic Museum, and the temporary exhibition Histories of Medals.

Regarding the National Museum of Costa Rica, they will open its exhibitions to the public on Tuesday, June 16. The National Museum has two facilities, one is the former Bellavista Theater in San José, and the other is located in Palmar Sur de Osa.

The schedule will be Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday the hours are from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Museum in Osa will attend to the public from Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This Museum is working to develop a platform for online ticket sales. However, if the platform is not ready as of June 16, entry to both facilities will be free.

In the National Museum, San José headquarters, visitors can enjoy the exhibitions of "Pre-Columbian History," "History of Costa Rica centuries," "Orchids," by Emil Span and soon the exhibitions "Soft Barriers" and "Masters of the night, nocturnal animals" by Federico Blacksmith.

At Palmar Sur de Osa, visitors will have access to the exhibition “Diquís, a singular region”, as well as enter the archaeological site and tour the pre-Columbian mounds, the alignments with stone spheres and the exhibition of spheres.

Another museum that will soon open its doors for free are the Museum of Jade and Pre-Columbian Culture located on the west side of the Plaza de la Democracia, from June 15 to 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., However, the number of people entering will be limited.

In July, visitors must purchase their tickets through the website MuseoDelJadeins.com.

The Jade Museum offers 5 permanent exhibition rooms with pre-Columbian pieces of jade, pottery and stones.

The "El Jade" room highlights the role that jade pieces and other associated materials had in the indigenous development of the human groups settled in the territory of Costa Rica.

The exhibition "El Día" is a sample of everyday objects, which seek to highlight the activities related to people's daily lives, their relationship with animals and the natural environment.

The "La Noche" room alludes to the spirit world, the supernatural, shamanic, funeral rites and the theme of war, the "Ancient Memory" room addresses topics such as: the role of gender, sexuality, clothing focused on body decoration and outfits and shows a collection of musical instruments used for parties and celebrations.

The National Theater will open its season of dramatized guided tours on Wednesday, July 1. It is expected that the opening hours will be announced in the next few hours.

Each visit will not exceed the maximum of 10 people and those interested must buy the tickets in advance by calling 506-2010-1110.

The price of admission for nationals and foreigners will be announced through their social networks of the National Theater. Tours are offered in both English and Spanish.

The visit recounts the history of the National Theater starting in 1832 and explains the construction and all the details of this project of a society, which began in 1891 and ended in 1897.

A guide accompanied by different characters, begins in the first lobby, then goes to the main room and thoroughly explores the foyer and the boxes.

Mandatory health measures needed for museums and the theater are the following:

• The number of visitors at the same time will not exceed 50% of the capacity, each cultural center must define the number of visitors, security will be attentive to social distancing and social bubbles.

• That same distance of 2 meters will be requested in the entrance rows.

• The entrance of people with symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing will not be allowed. For this, temperature monitoring will be performed.

• Strategic spaces will be labeled to remind you of handwashing, sneezing and social distancing protocols.

• Soap, alcohol gel and towels will be permanently maintained in sanitary services and strategic areas.

• High traffic spaces will be cleaned frequently, as well as handrails, counters and any other space that has frequent contact with visitors.


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What other touristic places should reopen?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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