Jade Museum, San José

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When we were in San Jose in 1996, this museum was free and it was open on Monday when the Gold Museum was closed. It was on the 11th floor of an insurance company. The jade part takes up about 25% of the museum, with the other part being about history of Costa Rica, ancient practices, and historical facts. This was my first experience with the old ceramics of South and Central America and I was a little surprised by the phallic depictions. But the main thing about this museum was the views over the city of San Jose

I understand that the museum is no longer free. Open Monday through Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm.

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The museum is located on the 11th floor of the Institute for National Security (INS). The building is easy to locate but the museum entrance is off to the left side as you approach the main entrance. The exhibit is the largest American jade collection in the world (over 6,000 works of pre-Columbian art and jewelry). Open Monday through Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm. Small admission.

I really loved the museum! It was so amazing to see the way in which Jade was elaborated and how people lived in the precolumbian aera. If you have any question the people there will help you (at least if you speak Spanish)
Moreover they have not only Jade but also a lot of other pieces, just like metates or ceramics and a lot of more things.

Thus, I would recommend everybody to visit the Jade Museum!

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The Jade Museum was a very nice museum displaying some of the jade peices that were found in Costa Rica. Shows the importance of jade in hte variety of objects produced and the use by the members of the village. The jade part takes up about 25% of the museum, with the other part being about history of Costa Rica, ancient practices, and historical facts. Others made of ceramic & stone.

$7 8:30- 3:30pm m-f, sat morns.

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They have a very good collection of pre columbian works. It includes jade from interchange all over the Americas from the precolumbian , olmera and the mayan cultures. There are also ceramics, stone , gold and bone relics. It provides a fascinating loook at the life of the early cultures in this area of the world.
Open 8:30-3:30 Mon- Fri
$2.00

Worth a visit but an hour is probably enough. Apart from what is probably the largest display of jade in the world, there are some interesting gold exhibits and good views from the museum itself over the capital.

Definitely make a point of visiting this museum. It was recently refurbished and has excellent informational placards and a wonderful atmosphere. When I went it was about 500 colones, I think. (almost 3 dollars) Worth the trip and the cash!

Open during the week: 8:30 - 4:30...but double-check on that.

I have tried invain (or it was closed - I was in San José around Christmas - or I hadn't enough time, had to go to the airport) to visit the Jade Museum so it has remained a must see activity even if not done :-(...
In the pic a navidad lit on the facade of the building of the museum