Sight guide · San José · Costa Rica
Visiting Museo de los Niños
The children's museum occupies a former penitentiary, a castle-like building north of the centre.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andres Alvarez, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Museo de los Niños is a museum in Barrio Amón, San José. Allow 2–3 hours; it is low cost. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Barrio Amón
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- kids, rainy day and history
- Best months
- June and September–October
About Museo de los Niños
The children's museum occupies a former penitentiary, a castle-like building north of the centre. Interactive rooms cover science, the human body, space and Costa Rican culture, and some former cells have been preserved to show the building's past.
Tip: Allow a few hours with younger children, and take a taxi or ride-hailing car from the centre rather than walking.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2–3 hours.
- Cost: Low cost.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Barrio Amón, coffee-baron mansions turned into hotels and galleries.
Best time to visit Museo de los Niños
Museo de los Niños is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- October: 25°C (77°F) highs, about 25 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
- September: 26°C (79°F) highs, about 24 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- June: 26°C (79°F) highs, about 22 rainy days, quiet crowds.
When to visit San José has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Museo de los Niños is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Teatro Nacional and Museo Nacional de Costa Rica.
- No. 14 of the 15 sights in our San José things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in museums in San José.
- A family favourite in San José with kids.
Near Museo de los Niños
Also in Barrio Amón, so you can walk between them:
- Centro Nacional de la Cultura (CENAC) — 1 hour, low cost
- Parque Morazán and Parque España — 30 minutes, free
- Barrio Amón walk — 1–1.5 hours, free
If you like Museo de los Niños
- Teatro Nacional — Centro, 1 hour
- Museo Nacional de Costa Rica — Centro, 1.5–2 hours
- Pre-Columbian Gold Museum — Centro, 1.5 hours
- Museo del Jade — Centro, 1.5 hours
Staying near Museo de los Niños
Stay in Barrio Amón ($$) to walk here: coffee-baron mansions turned into hotels and galleries. All areas to stay in San José.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Museo de los Niños?
Plan 2–3 hours. With Centro Nacional de la Cultura (CENAC) nearby, it fits a half-day in Barrio Amón.
+Is Museo de los Niños free?
No, it is low cost. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Museo de los Niños?
June and September–October, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Allow a few hours with younger children, and take a taxi or ride-hailing car from the centre rather than walking.
+Do I need to book Museo de los Niños in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Museo de los Niños good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in San José. San José works for a day or two with children: the children's museum in a former prison, the Museo Nacional's butterfly garden, the Gold Museum's glittering animals and the open space of Parque La Sabana.