Museo Islita - open-air art village
Landmark · Nicoya Peninsula · hidden gem
Since the early 2000s Costa Rican artists have been turning tiny Islita into what's billed as the country's only open-air contemporary art museum: house walls, the community hall, the plaza and even tree trunks carry murals, mosaics and carvings - some made to fade with sun and rain. The museum building is gallery, workshop, community centre and shop for local artists, and neighbouring Corozalito has sculptures along its airstrip.
- Time there
- 1 h
- Best time
- daytime; March for the Pi Art(e) festival (first edition 2023)
- Kids
- 4 / 10
- View
- 5 / 10
- Crowds
- 1 / 10
- Swimming
- 0 / 10
- Effort
- 1 / 10
- Location
- 9.85965, -85.39669 — Google Maps
Before you go
- Road
- Gravel — a regular car is fine
- Kids
- Good for kids
- Checked
- 2026-10
Tip
Wander the plaza and side streets first, then buy something in the museum shop - it supports the village artists.
Be careful
Keep an eye on your belongings in busy town centres, and dress respectfully if you go inside a church.
Getting there
In Islita village, uphill from Playa Islita, on the partly unpaved road into town.
Places nearby
- WingNuts Canopy ToursTours & Adventure · from $40Family-run canopy near Sámara with up to 9 cables and rappels, a 500 m cable and a canopy-surfing option where you ride a suspended surfboard.
- Malibu Restaurante (formerly Soda Colochos)Sodas & Local FoodA simple soda in the center of Sámara, right next to the weekly farmers market and shaded by big Guanacaste trees – some of the best traditional food in town at local prices.
- Tico's Surf School (Sámara)Surf, Boats & Diving · from $60Beachfront surf school on Playa Sámara's gentle, sandy break with ISA-certified instructors, lockers and showers.
- Natural Center ToursTours & Adventure · from $50Sámara's one-stop tour agency for boat tours, kayaking and snorkeling, plus day trips and shuttles.
- Gusto Beach Club (Sámara)Food & CoffeeAn upscale beach club on the sand in the center of Sámara with loungers facing the bay and a big Italian-leaning menu – antipasti, pasta, pizza, focaccia, poke bowls and a kids' menu.
- Roots Bakery & CaféFood & CoffeeA small, locally owned bakery-café on the road out of Sámara with homemade pastries, tarts, scones, cinnamon rolls, croissants and pies, plus breakfast and lunch sandwiches; seats inside with A/C and in a garden courtyard.
Sources: OpenStreetMap node/4657181190 · https://www.lonelyplanet.com/points-of-interest/museo-islita/1201595 · https://traveler.marriott.com/?p=44351 · https://semanariouniversidad.com/cultura/pi-art-festival-espiral-virtuosa-de-gestion-cultural-costarricense-en-la-costa/ · https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4657181190