The Pre-Columbian Golden Museum of Alvaro Vargas Etiverria is located in the city of San Jose, in Costa Rica. Since September 15, 1985, the Museum has been occupying the second and third floors of the Plaza de la Cultura underground building, which was specially built in 1978-1982 for the exposition of the collections of the Central Bank of Costa Rica. The Pre-Columbian Golden Museum has a unique collection of 1,600 gold items that can be used to judge the traditions, rituals, rites, worldview and social structure of the indigenous people of Costa Rica before Spanish colonization. Exhibits date from 500 to 1500 BC. The value of pre-Columbian artifacts is also due to the fact that they are much less preserved on the territory of Costa Rica than, for example, in Guatemala and Mexico. Most of the gold items are small in size, however they amaze with the art of execution, detailed details, accuracy and filigree work. Most of the exhibits are figures of animals, insects, birds. They played a great role in the life of Aboriginal people. It was believed that the golden figures of frogs, snakes and spiders protect the owner from disease and evil spirits. Images of birds, jaguars, alligators, bats - symbols of strength, vitality and resourcefulness were also popular. Shamans preferred to wear golden images of birds with outstretched wings, which indicated the ability of the local sorcerer to "fly" into the world of spirits. The museum exposition introduces the details of gold mining and jewelry making from it. The method of casting products speaks of the skill of goldsmiths of craftsmen - a wax model of the product was created, it was immersed in plaster, creating a mold for future jewelry, into which molten gold was poured. The museum also displays objects of worship and ceramics and stone found in different regions of the country, made from 300 BC to 1502 (before the conquest of Costa Rica by the Spanish colonialists).