Pharmacy Museum

The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is an unassuming storefront on Chartres Street, near Jackson Square. It’s housed in an 1820’s building that was an apothecary and home for the country’s first licensed pharmacist. The museum is small, but its contents are vast.

The apothecary is lined with shelves and glass cases containing artifacts grouped by theme; for example, Methods of Administering Drugs, Questionable Medical Practices, Voodoo Potions. Some collections are not for those with weak stomachs. In fact, I decided not to take a photo of the Civil War-era surgical instruments. You’re welcome.

In the back corner was the compounding area, where the pharmacist did their work, with Wizard of Oz-like secrecy. The cylindrical objects at left were paper prescriptions skewered on wire, kept on “file” until their corners were worn away.

The second level of the museum was the pharmacist’s family residence, later converted to a doctor’s office. Exhibits here covered the evolution of midwifery, optometry, otolaryngology, and much more. A reconstructed sick room showcased 19th century ailments like “neurasthenia” (nervous exhaustion) and their dubious treatments. And a mesmerizing collection showed the evolution of rhinoplasty surgery to reconstruct noses for victims of syphilis. Again, I took no photos of that part - you’ll just have to visit and see it for yourself.

This gem of a museum was fascinating. It gave me a fresh appreciation for all the pioneering pharmacists, physicians, scientists, and others who championed advances in medicine. (Free admission to those with membership in a NARM institution.)