The excellent Museo Numismástico (Money Museum) documents the troubled history of the Nicaraguan economy through its coins and banknotes. Across the road, Museo Precolombino (Pre-Columbian Museum) displays an excellent collection of more than 1500 pieces of ceramics, metates, funeral urns and jewelry, spanning the different civilizations from all around the island, and some over 5000 years old. The museums are located 2km down a shady lane off the main road, about halfway between Esquipulas and San José del Sur.
In the Money Museum, look for cacao – the edible currency of the Nahuatl people – and the notes showcasing the hyperinflation during the Contra War.