Slowly, but surely, and with the help of the Swedish Government’s International Development Agency, the church and convent are being restored. In the museum adjoining the church, you’ll find one of the best museum collections in Nicaragua (admission about $1).

The museum also hosts a tourist office, cafeteria, and gift shop. The permanent exhibitions include colorful primitivist art, depictions of pre-Columbian indigenous life, and over two dozen ancient, stone statues from nearby Zapatera Island. Get face-to-face with these giant stone idols —thought to have been made between 800 A.D. and 1200—and ponder their significance. Even the experts aren’t sure what these man-animal figures signify, making them all the more intriguing.