Foundation

The Juan Santamaría Historical and Cultural Museum was created according to the Law  No. 5619, on December 4th, 1974, but it was reformed by the law No. 6572 of April 23th, 1981.  The project that gave origin to this law was initiative of the Congressman Dr. Luis Alberto Salas Corrales (+).

The Museum has the name of “Juan Santamaría” to honor the National Hero, whose heroic act took place on 11 of April, 1856 in Rivas, Nicaragua. The 9 of April, 1980, the Museum opens its doors to the local and national community.

This museum is the only one in the country specialized in the subject of the National Campaign of 1856-57 against the filibuster invaders.

Mission

It corresponds to the Historical Museum Juan Santamaría maintain effective in the collective memory of the Costa Rican people the heroic act carried out against the filibuster invader in 1856-1857.

In addition it is the responsability of the museum to assume a valuable function of keeping the alajuelense cultural patrimony.

As deposit holder of the historical patrimony of the nation and Cultural Center of the Community, the Museum contributes to the democratization of the cultural services, with a manifest vocation of communitarian commitment.

Organization

It is assigned to the Ministry of Culture and Youth. The Museum is governed by an Administrative board, integrated by five members, that perform their functions ad-honórem. It presides over the representative of the Ministry of Culture and Youth; the other four chosen of groups of three integrated by: the local Government (Municipality of Alajuela), the Institute of Alajuela, the University of Alajuela and the Academy of Geography and History of Costa Rica.

The organizational structure for the attention of the services and jobs that is a responsability the MHCJS based on a Main directorate, an Area of Museologic Services and an Administrative Area.

The Museum offers the following services: Recovery and Conservation of the Historical Patrimony, Temporary or Permanent Exhibitions, Educative Services of 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

This museum institution is located in the city of Alajuela, home of the national hero Juan Santamaría, three kilometers from international Juan Santamaría Airport. When settling down their seat in this city, the legislators remembered the necessity that this rising institution maintained a narrow bond with its immediate surroundings; that is to say, the Alajuelense.

Building: Old Quarter of Arms of the city of Alajuela

Building: Old Jail of the city of Alajuela

The Museum has the buildings known like “Old Jail House of Alajuela”, a construction 1894 - 1895 and “Old Quarter of Arms of the city of Alajuela, also built in the XIX century. Both buildings were declared of historical – patrimonial interest: Decree No 9951-C 5 of March of 1979 and Decree No. 9 of September, 1976.

Within the most excellent achievements is the law presented/displayed by the Alajuelense Congressman, Dr. Eduardo Soto Chavarría, before the Commission Permanent of Economic Subjects of the Legislative Assembly, relative to the passing of the “Old Quarter Building of Alajuela” to the Historical Museum Cultural Juan Santamaría, who had a fast affirmative opinion of majority of October 14, 1998. By Law N° 7895, July 30, 1999 authorized the passing to the Museum of the building for specific use of the entrusted aims and mission to this institution.

The first antecedent registry of the property where there are both buildings is in a colonial protocol of Cartago No 1050, with date 14 of November, 1817. In September, 1822, Don Rosario Carrillo and wife Doña Maria  Fernandez donated the land where the building of  the old jail was. Their willm was to build a house of education and a hermitage to San Miguel Arcángel, but the jail was constructed, it worked until 1974, when it was occupied by the Museum, until now.

The old army quarter was constructed during the government of Tomás Guardia, then remodeled in 1874 and 1877 and in 1936. In 1949 the army was abolished as a permanent institution. The old quarter of arms of Alajuela was occupied in 1960 by the Jesus Ocaña High School. In 1977 the Center of Investigation for Technical Improvement (CIPET), an institution of the Ministry of Public Education, was established in the old army garrison building.