The National Theater of Costa Rica is a neoclassical theater on the Plaza de la Cultura in central San José, opened in 1897. The interior is the main reason to visit: a marble lobby, gilded moldings, painted ceilings and statues. Guided tours take you through the building and explain how it was built. Stop for coffee at the on-site cafe, then see a performance if your visit falls on a show night.
Built with coffee money
Construction began in the early 1890s and was paid for with a tax on coffee, the country's main export at the time. The building took about seven years to finish and opened in 1897. An Italian architect designed it in the neoclassical style, and its layout was modeled on the Opéra Comique in Paris.
The project grew out of a wish for a proper opera house. Support for the building gained ground after the Italian opera singer Adelina Patti refused to perform in Costa Rica, blaming the poor facilities.
Inside the theater
The marble lobby and the auditorium are lined with paintings of 19th-century life in the country. Statues of Beethoven and the Spanish dramatist Calderón de la Barca flank the columned facade.
The ceiling mural, Allegory of Coffee and Bananas by the Italian artist J. Villa, shows rural life in Costa Rica around 1900. The main lobby holds sculptures and exhibitions that change from time to time. A black-and-white photo gallery shows the history of the theater and the city.
How a guided tour works
Guided tours run hourly from 9am to 4pm, in Spanish and English. Some guides are entertaining and share stories about the building, and in summer to November the guides may be actors in 1800s costume. A behind-the-scenes tour is also offered.
During the busy season, guided tours carry an entry charge. You can still walk through the main corridor and lobby without a tour and look at the displays.
Shows, the cafe and the plaza
The theater hosts performances year-round, including weekly concerts by the National Symphonic Orchestra. Plays, dance and opera are also staged here, so check the program before you visit if a show is part of your plan.
The cafe sits to the left of the lobby and serves coffee, treats and sandwiches. Across the Plaza de la Cultura is the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, which makes a good second stop on the same walk.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is there an entry fee?
During the busy season, guided tours carry an entry charge. You can walk through the main corridor and lobby without a tour.
Are the guided tours in English?
Guided tours run hourly from 9am to 4pm in Spanish and English. Confirm the language when you book, as one visitor reported a guide switching to Spanish during an English tour.
Is the theater wheelchair accessible?
The entrance and the restroom are wheelchair accessible.
Can you visit without a tour?
Yes. The main lobby and corridor have sculptures and exhibitions, and you can look around without a guide.
