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The Juan
Santamaria Historical and Cultural Museum
The Juan
Santamaria Historical and Cultural Museum was created by law No. 5619 on
Dec. 4, 1974 and reformed by law in 1981, an initiative of congressman
Dr. Luis Alberto Salas Corrales. The museum, originally only in the
jail section of the building, opened its doors to the public in 1980.
The museum was named for
national hero Juan Santamaria, a humble soldier from Alajuela who saved
the nation on April 11,1856 by burning down the army headquarters of
William Walker and his filibustero army who sought to claim
Costa Rica and the other Central American countries as slave states for
the United States. Santamaria lost his life in the act but is credited
with saving Costa Rica's independance.
Mission
The mueum
plays an important role in keeping alive the history of the Campaign of
1856 and the soldier from Alajuela who helped keep the nation and the
region free.
The museum
also has an important task in preserving the cultural patrimony of
Costa Rica and as a depository of historical documents for the Alajuela
area. The museum also has a committment to the community offering
programs and educational services to the schools and the public.
Organization
The Juan
Santamaria Historical and Cultural Museum in under the direction of the
Ministry of Culture and Youth and
is governed by a board of five directors who serve voluntarily and are
chosen from the Ministry of Culture and educational institutions in
Alajuela. The museum includes departments for conservation of
historical patrimony, temporary and permanent exhibits, educational
services and cultural promotion and publications.
Recognitions
The Museum has assumed its task like
a civic and communitarian commitment. By his work of cultural
promotion, it has been object of diverse recognitions.
Location
The museum lies in the heart of the city of
Alajuela facing the central park and is just three kilometers from the
Juan Santamaria international airport along the highway leading into
the city. The legislators decided on this site for the museum because
of the close bond and affection Alajuelans feel for their native
son-hero.

Building: Old
army garrison - City of Alajuela

Building: Old Jail - City of Alajuela
History
The museum is housed in what were once the city
jail and the army garrison. Constructed during the reign of
strongman-president Tomas Guardia (1870-1882) and remodeled in 1894-95
the buildings are now protected for their historical and patrimonial
interest by decrees in 1976 and 1979. Thanks to the efforts of
Alajuelan congressman Dr. Eduardo Soto Chavarria, the army garrison
building, formerly part of the Ministry of Education, was passed to the
Ministry of Culture to be added to the museum.
In December of 1948 the army was abolished in
Costa Rica and the garrison was used for a high school until 1960 and
then became the Center for Research for Technical Improvement (CIPET)
under the Ministry of Education.
The recorded history of the site goes back to
November 14, 1817 when it was registered in Cartago, the then capitol,
as colonial protocol No. 1050. In September, 1822 owners don Rosario
Carrillo and his wife doña Maria Fernandez donated the land where the
jail was located to be used for a house of education and a chapel to
St. Michael, the archangel. However, this promise was forgotten and the
building was used to house the city's criminals until 1974 when the
museum was established.
Translator: Mitzi Stark
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