Puntarenas Art Galleries

(Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

While La Casa de la Cultura contains an art gallery, amongst its many other displays, there are a handful of dedicated commercial galleries to be found within Puntarenas, selling original paintings, prints and affordable souvenirs.

As with the city's museums, for the best selection of galleries, you will need to take a journey to San Jose, where the National Gallery of Contemporary Art and Design certainly stands out from the competitive cultural crowd.

Gallery Isidro Wong

Address: Puntarenas, Costa Rica, CR
Isidro Wong, a son of the city and now a famous artist and sculptor with pieces on show in internationally famous collections, has taken over the restored Customs Building / Customs House (the Capitania de Puntarenas) as a display centre for his works. Wong is third-generation Zhongshang Chinese, born in Puntarenas, and his work is a correlation of his ethnicity, his interaction with nature and his proud Costa Rican nationality.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

San Jose Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (Museo de Arte y Diseno Contemporáneo)

Address: Avenida 3 between Calle 15 / 17, Antigua Fábrica Nacional de Licores, San Jose, Costa Rica, CR
Tel: +506 257 7202
This gallery is a fascinating maze of exhibition rooms, libraries and theatres, which make up an entire cultural centre set in an old distillery in San Jose's suburbs. Displayed are contemporary designs, sculptures and theatre trends. Local artists are encouraged to exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, while international art installations are welcomed.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Other San Jose galleries include the following selection:

National Centre of Art and Culture (Nacionalni Centar Umjetnosti i Kulture)
Address: Calle 13 between Avenues 3 and 5, San Jose, Costa Rica, CR
Tel: +506 257 9370

Museum of Costa Rican Art (Museo de Arte Costarricense - El MAC)
Address: Calle 42 y Paseo Colon, Parque Metropolitano de La Sabana, San Jose, Costa Rica, CR
Tel: +506 222 7155

More information about San Jose art galleries.