Discovering Costa Rica

Page 37

The Peace Museum,

Avenida 2 and Calle 3, San José: This museum is run by

President Oscar Arias’ Foundation for Peace and Humanity. President Arias was a

recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987, elected to the Board of Directors of the

International Crime Court’s Trust Fund for Victims in 2003, and held public office from

2006-2010

The Costa Rican Jewish Community Museum,

just west of La Sabana Park in

Rohrmoser: This museum houses photos, documentary films, and other artifacts of the

Jewish Community. Admission is free

The Postal, Telegraphic, and Philatelic Museum,

Calle 2 and Avenidas 1/3 at Edificio

Postal: This diamond in the rough is located in the heart of San José in the main post

office. This location dates back to 1911, and features Costa Rican’s oldest postage

stamp collections, antique phones, philatelic history displays, and more

The Museum of Forms, Spaces, and Sounds,

3rd Avenue between 19th and 21st

Streets near the National Park: Once the Atlantic Railway Station, this museum is home

to sculptures in stone, wood in scale models, and musical instruments

Theaters

Live theater is an integral part of Costa Rican heritage. Each week, the newspaper publishes a

list of the upcoming shows. A wide variety of shows are performed, from classical plays to

comedic performances. The themes of these Costa Rican plays include romance, folklore,

religion, and politics.

In the 19th century, plays were set in the countryside, revolving around rural living. It wasn’t until

the 20th century that plays started evolving to more urban-centered settings. Ricardo Fernandez

Guardia emerged during this era, and is considered to be the father of Costa Rican theater. He

authored “La Magdalena,” which was one of the first works to transition into the contemporary,

urban theme.

By the late 1920s, Costa Rican theater had again changed, with many themes reflecting the

times with incorporation of European influence and industrialization into the decade’s most

popular plays. During the 1930s and 1940s, the public attendance dropped and the works

produced slowed in reaction, though there was another spike in theater interest in the 1950s.

New theater companies formed and enjoyed the success of the new interest in cultural creations

of the leading playwrights. In 1969, the University of Costa Rica founded its own drama

department.

The Costa Rican theater themes evolved into peace, abortion, and adultery during the 1960s

and 1970s. The famous playwrights started exploring existentialism, politics, and power of the

people, which in turn increase the viewership of plays during this time. Today, the Costa Rican

theater is more balanced with the classical theater themes like Cervantes, Shakespeare, and

Lope de Vega, in combination with modern works by Central American playwrights.