Managua of Nicaraguan art from the time previous to its independence. Inside the National Palace of Culture is the National Museum, containing archaeological finds with some examples of pre-Columbian pottery, statues, and other findings. Managua is home to an array of art galleries which feature pieces by both national and international artists. Managua is home to many types of museums, some art museums include the Julio Cortázar Museum and the Archivo Fílmico de la Cinemateca Nacional. Natural history museums include the Museo del Departamento de Malacología UCA, Museo Gemológico de la Concha y el Caracol, and Museo Paleontológico "El Hato". The
Managua central departments. This highway is commonly referred to as the "Northern Highway." The "Southern Highway", the southern part of the Pan-American highway, connects Managua to southern departments Carazo, Rivas and others. The "Carretera A Masaya" connects Managua to the departments of Masaya and Granada. The newly reconstructed "Carretera A León" connects Managua with León. All of these highways are in good condition, with little traffic congestion. Infrastructure on the highways is well maintained. This also tends to be true for cities and towns that are served or are in close distance with the freeways. However, this does not yield truthfully