Costa Rican Center of Science and Culture, Cultural and scientific center in San José, Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican Center of Science and Culture is a multipurpose complex housing a children's museum, art galleries, and a performance auditorium under one roof. The facilities spread across interconnected buildings where you can move between exhibitions and events.
The complex served as Costa Rica's main prison from 1910 until 1979 before undergoing complete transformation. Its reopening as a cultural venue in 1994 turned a place of incarceration into a hub for learning and creativity.
The galleries display works by Costa Rican artists alongside international pieces, reflecting how local creativity connects with global artistic movements. You will notice how the spaces encourage visitors to engage with art in an accessible way.
The center occupies a large footprint in the Merced neighborhood with different sections clearly marked for easy navigation. Expect to spend several hours if you want to explore multiple areas, as the collections are substantial.
The prison history section presents the former institution's past and how the spaces were adapted into educational venues over time. Few visitors realize they are walking through halls where transformation from confinement to culture actually took place.
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