National Center of Culture
Trip Ideas
- The Best of Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Top Spots for WIldlife
- Costa Rica’s Most Beautiful Beaches
- Costa Rica’s Best Beaches for Wildlife
- Best Surfing Beaches in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Unique Retreats & Resorts
- Surf’s Up in Costa Rica
- Off-The-Beaten-Path Eco-Adventures
- Costa Rica Family-Friendly Adventures
- Adrenaline Rush
On the east side of Parque España is the erstwhile Fábrica Nacional de Licores (Liquor Factory), now housing the multifaceted Centro Nacional de Cultura (CENAC, tel. 506/2221-2022, www.mcjdcr.go.cr/ministerio/cenac.html, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Tues.–Sat., free). The building dates to 1887, and though it’s drained of alcohol, relics of the distilling days linger.
The ho-hum Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo (Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, tel. 506/2257-7202, www.madc.ac.cr) shows revolving displays by leading Costa Rican artists. Note the old sun clock and decorative stonework on the southeast side. The National Dance Company, National Theater Company, and Museum of Iberoamerican Culture are housed here.
© Christopher P. Baker from Moon Costa Rica, 8th Edition
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