Construction began in 1891, and it opened to the public on 21 October 1897 with a performance of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust.

The National Theatre stood as a cultural asset of the country during a time when coffee exports were a source of its success.

[1] Constructed in the late 19th century, when San Jose's population was only around 19,000 people, the theatre presented many private performances.

To finance the construction of a theatre suitable for name "National Theatre", the President of Costa Rica, José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón decided to place a tax on coffee, then the principal export product.

The front of the theatre features statues of Calderón de la Barca and Ludwig van Beethoven.