The Ministry of Cultural and Youth Affairs of Costa Rica (Spanish initials: MCJ) is reporting that the new Museum of the Stone Spheres in the southern Pacific region of Osa… Read more » Continue reading →
The Ministry of Cultural and Youth Affairs of Costa Rica (Spanish initials: MCJ) is reporting that the new Museum of the Stone Spheres in the southern Pacific region of Osa has been an astounding success. To encourage visitors to explore the 10 hectares where ancient indigenous tribes somehow manipulated these mysterious objects to line up in perfect sync with the sun each solstice, the MCJ will offer free general admission to the museum until January 15th.
The museum will be closed on December 31st and January 1st for the purpose of giving MCJ employees a break, but in 2014 the facility will open from Tuesday to Sunday at 8:00 in the morning and will close at 4:00 in the afternoon. A cedula or passport issued by a Costa Rican governmental entity will grant free admission on Sundays, and this includes foreigners with temporary or permanent residence cedulas, who will pay $3 at the gate. Tourists pay $8, but if they are visiting as students they pay $4.
Although stone spheres have been found in other places around Costa Rica, the museum is the only in situ (on site) location where these magnificent objects are lined up in what is believed to be an early astronomical interpretation by ancient Costa Ricans who predated the Borucas and descended from the Mayas. The precise reason for the construction and alignment of these spheres, however, remains an unsolved mystery.
The new museum has information on the stone spheres and ancient cultures as well as an exhibit area. The current exhibition serves as a preamble to what visitors can expect as they enter this orphic land and experience the spheres up close. Within the 10 hectares of Finca 6, there are two promontories believed to have been erected by the indigenous to house tribal leaders of intellectual or religious importance, and who took the secrets of the spheres to their graves.
To get to the museum, drivers can head south on the Pan American Highway, cross the Cerro de la Muerte (Mountain of Death) until San Isidro del General, take the road that leads to Playa Dominical and then take the Costanera (Pacific coastal highway) until Palmar Sur. The drive starts on Route 27 towards Jaco Beach and then continue down to Quepos, Parrita, Playa Dominical, and then Palmar Sur.
Taking the bus is more fun than driving: The Tracopa line offers service that leaves from Plaza Viquez in the lovable City of San Jose until Palmar Norte. From this town, there is a bus that leaves for Sierpe and stops right at Finca 6, the site of museum.