San José is a real paradise for those who like to explore the history of the country by visiting various fascinating museums. There are plenty of them in this city. Moreover, all of them are cultural centers where you can both visit the exhibition and take part in various events.

One of the most visited museums in the city is the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. And this is no accident: it`s quite difficult to find so many incredibly beautiful jewelry, figurines, ritual costumes created from the purest gold many centuries ago in one place.

The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum collection is amazing. There are more than 2000 exhibits, some of which were produced in 500 BC. The sophisticated work of ancient masters is fascinating: a riot of imagination and high professionalism have already characterized jewelers. Fabulous figurines of birds, animals, fantastic creatures: all these figurines were created without special equipment, only with simple hammers and skillful hands of craftsmen.

Particularly noteworthy are artifacts dated back to the 16th century. Then the Spaniards first settled in the city. By jewelry, you can trace how the culture of the local population began to change as well as their idea of beauty.

Besides, the guests are delighted with military shields made of gold. Their size sometimes reaches the height of a man.

On the one hand, this museum is a triumph of the culture and creativity of the local people. On the other hand, one can learn one of the most tragic pages of the country's history. The conquistadors who arrived in these territories cared little about preserving the heritage. So many golden household items and jewelry were melted into huge bars to make it easier to transport them to Spain.

The Numismatic Museum is located in the same room as the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. It presents a wide collection of various coins (from the very first that were used in the country to modern money), banknotes, and even special coffee tokens that were common in Costa Rica a century ago.