Dinosaurs to Butterflies: What to Expect at Costa Rica’s Natural Science Museum la Salle
Since we had a few extra days in San Jose, Costa Rica, we decided to venture off the beaten path and check out Costa Rica’s Natural Science Museum la Salle. This museum doesn’t make it onto most travel itineraries. Oh sure local families and schools love to take the kids there but it’s kind of hidden in an industrial-looking compound – behind a gate and there’s no sign for the museum near the gate.
For nature lovers, this place is a goldmine. Did you know Costa Rica hosts nearly 6% of the world’s plant and animal species? The Natural Science Museum, or Museo La Salle as it’s officially known, offers insight into this incredible natural wealth. According to their website, they’ve got over 65,000 specimens on display – that’s one of the biggest natural history collections in all of Central America! We enjoyed our visit and exploring their collections of natural world specimens, such as birds, mammals, plants, rocks, minerals, and fossils.
Quick Facts:
- Location: Sabana neighborhood, near La Sabana Metropolitan Park
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 8 AM-4 PM, Sunday 9 AM-5 PM
- Entrance Fee:
- CRC 2,500 adults (about $5)
- CRC1,800 senior adult
- CRC1,800 children (2 to 12 years)
- (cost shown in Costa Rican Colones (CRC), the official currency of Costa Rica, a handy currency conversion can be found on Google here)
- Where to buy Tickets: At the door – no official way to buy online – though a good idea to swing by the official museum website for the latest info before you head out.
- Highlights: Dinosaur park, rock and mineral displays, extensive butterfly exhibit. You can read more about the museum on our post dedicated to the San Jose Natural Science Museum here!
- Time spent: 2-3 hours
- Tip: Grab breakfast before you head out as there are not a lot of restaurant options in the immediate area (Pops La Sabana, a cute ice cream parlor just around the corner doesn’t open until 10am)
- AKA: Natural Science Museum La Salle, La Salle Natural Science Museum, La Salle Museum, Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle
What will you see at the Natural Science Museum la Salle?
When you enter the Costa Rica Natural Science Museum you are greeted by an atrium type lobby with models of several dinosaurs. Around that are displays of rocks, minerals and fossils.
In separate corridors off the main area there are displays featuring mammals, birds and fish as well as a fairly large room dedicated almost exclusively to butterflies. (Man, they love their butterflies in Costa Rica.)
Each hallway exhibit has a different focus – Ornithology, Mammals, Fish and Amphibians………. Hundreds of examples are presented of various members of that ‘family’ of creature inside the Costa Rica Natural Science Museum
They have thoughtfully put tracks on the floor that will lead you around the entire Natural Science Museum using the most logical and efficient route. Start out by staying to your left. The tracks change, they start as dinosaur tracks but at one point they’re bird tracks.
The Costa Rica Natural Science Museum’s exhibit halls are filled with taxidermy work dating back to the early 1960’s. The animals are grouped together fairly logically – the emu is nowhere near the parrots, for example. Nor is the brown bear in the same case as the hyenas (which we’ve seen in other museums). There are over 50,000 taxidermy works here from fish to birds to mammals
The butterfly exhibit was almost exhausting to me. There are so many examples on display – over 8,000 – that I reached a point of not even wanting to see another butterfly. However, as Sandra and I have discovered I don’t see as many shades of colors as other people do so what looks like 18 same-blue butterflies to me looks like 18 different-blue butterflies to everyone else.
Fun Fact: Translating the names of place in other counties can be confusing; we’ve seen this museum called “La Salle Natural Sciences Museum”, “Natural Science Museum La Salle”, “Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle”, “Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle Museum” and more
Getting there to the Natural Science Museum la Salle
Now, finding this place can be a bit tricky. It’s in the same industrial-looking compound as the Department of Agriculture (check out our activity video on YouTube for a visual), so you might end up scratching your head when you arrive at the gate. Trust us, Google Maps is your best friend here.
Getting There: From downtown San José, grab the SABANA – ESTADIO bus near the Parque de las Garantías Sociales (Parque de la Caja). Look for buses heading towards La Salle or San Rafael de Escazú – for more bus route options click here or click the map below
From the gate, trust google maps and walk into the complex…
Where to Stay in San Jose on a budget
Studio8 Lujan Apartament #7 – Guest Rating: 8.9 <– This is where we stayed!
Cando Living Apartments – Guest rating 8.5
Casa Lima B&B – Guest Rating 8.3
BEE Suites Escalante – Guest Rating 9.3
Prefer to watch videos? Here’s a few we filmed while in San Jose Costa Rica
What else is there to see in San Jose Costa Rica besides the Costa Rica Natural Science Museum?
If you’re looking to make the most of your time in San Jose, don’t miss our other posts! We’ve got you covered with “Our 3-Day San Jose Itinerary: Museums, Art, and Culture” for a whirlwind tour of the city’s highlights. For those watching their wallets, check out “San Jose on Foot: 11 Budget-Friendly Things to do in San Jose, Costa Rica“. And if you’re a fan of the performing arts and grand buildings, our post on the “Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica” is a must-read. These guides, along with this Natural Science Museum adventure, will help you uncover the best of what San Jose has to offer. Whether you’re into nature, culture, or just wandering the streets, we’ve got a little something for everyone.
