Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría

The Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría is Costa Rica's national history museum, named in honour of Juan Santamaría, the young national hero who sacrificed his life during the Battle of Rivas in 1856. When the American filibuster William Walker and his forces occupied Rivas, Nicaragua, Santamaría — a drummer boy from Alajuela — volunteered to torch the enemy's fortified position and was fatally wounded in the act. His bravery turned the tide of the campaign and he became a symbol of Central American resistance. The museum, located in the city of Alajuela, preserves documents, weapons, uniforms, maps, paintings, and artefacts relating to the 1856–57 National Campaign against Walker's filibuster army, while also presenting broader exhibits on Costa Rican cultural and historical identity.