Juan Santamaria Historical Cultural Museum

Juan Santamaria Historical Cultural Museum

Juan Santamaria Historical Cultural Museum
4.3
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
Juan Santamaria Cultural Historical Museum is the national institution to acquire, preserve, preserve, research and disseminate cultural heritage, related to the National Campaign and the province of Alajuela. It is located in the Old Headquarer and Old Alajuela's City Jail. The Museum have historial and art exhibitions, cafe, bookstore, library and an auditorium where cultural activities take place.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.3
4.3 of 5 bubbles188 reviews
Excellent
85
Very good
70
Average
30
Poor
1
Terrible
2

Phil G
London, UK33 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
If you're in Alajuela then this is somewhere you must visit, along with the central market!!

Here you can learn all about the history of the country and see many interesting historical items of clothing, tools, stonware, army weapons, etc... It doesn't take more than an hour to walk round and it's a good place to take a break from either the heat or the rain.

I think the entry was free and the staff that were working at the museum were very helpful.
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jacinda B
45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
The customer service here was exceptional! We were the only people there at the time, so they gave us a lot of special attention and showed us the suggested order to view the rooms. They also made sure we got a chance to go to the roof, which was definitely the highlight of our visit. The views were amazing and the staff member who brought us up there took photos of us upon our request and allowed us to take our time looking out over the city. As English-speaking tourists, we weren't able to fully understand the exhibits because only about half of the signs had English translations, but we saw enough to learn a lot about the history and culture of Alajuela.
Written 22 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CiscoTax
Lexington, SC26 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
The history of the building and the ticos were beautifully represented. The museum was very clean. The views from the roof were amazing. What set this museum apart was how helpful and knowledgeable the staff were. Wish we had longer as and hour was not enough. 5 teens/2- 40s and a 70s
Written 10 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Type-A-Mother
Colorado74 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Solo
The day I visited the museum was free for some reason. There are some very official men upon entering that describe the rules (no flash photos, drinks, food) of the museum and have you sign in.
It was a good place to escape the noise and heat of the square. Some signs in English which was surprising because very few people speak English in this city.
Written 19 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MissDCWilson
Costa Rica448 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015
Over the last few years the Costa Rican government has changed his teaching curriculum and Juan Santamaria is no longer a hero. Yet, this cultural museum stands and reminds the public of the famous battle that took place near the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. A crazy guy from the US, William Walker figured he could take over every country in Central America and make his own. Of course he fought with his own army and the rest of the story is right at this museum in Alajuela. Go ahead, visit this museum and learn more about Juan Santamaria and why he is famous.
Written 22 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Phil J
Buda, TX164 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
Costa Rica was invaded by mercenaries, hoping to enslave the people and gain admittance into the United States. The Costa Rican people rose up to expel the bastards, and this museum goes into great detail about that struggle, and many other aspects of Costa Rican life. It's free, you just sign in at the guard desk. The toilets in the public restrooms have been stripped of their toilet seats, for some reason, both men's and women's
Written 18 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael R
San Jose, Costa Rica21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2017 • Friends
Juan Santamaría Museum is awesome because you can learn about the history of Alajuela City and How it contributed in the National history as a town.
Written 27 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cathleen B
Cairns, Australia92 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2016 • Solo
This Museum was undergoing remodeling and there was very little to see. I also almost got clobbered by a rope a guy dropped down out of an attic from a ladder. I was glad it was free. I do not recommend whatsoever.
Written 23 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jannelupita
Dolores, CO76 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Couples
I really learned a lot here- not just about Juan Santamaria but they provide an in depth history of the context of the battle at Rivas. Who knew that a US lawyer and his "filibusters" could have such an impact on Central American history. walker wanted to turn the region into a slave colony- no wonder they are so proud of his defeat! There's a great piece on the US policy of "manifest destiny" and a lot of interesting objects including swords, bayonets, and rifles used in the US civil war. Definitely worth a visit if you want to know more about Costa Rica than "pura vida" jungles and beaches...
Written 10 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2Islandhands
Marco Island, FL38 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2015 • Friends
Did you know? who tried to claim Costa Rica during the US Civil War? Well, go visit & enjoy the time to understand why Costa Rica is a beautiful Place. Plenty of information on the culture... plan on a few hours, then walk to the park or market for a cup of coffee or ice cream.
Written 24 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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JUAN SANTAMARIA HISTORICAL CULTURAL MUSEUM (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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