New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

The museum is fairly small, but packed with various remnants from the history of healthcare. I would say that your experience would largely depend on your expectations. For $5, my expectation wasn't to the level of the WWII museum, but was pleasantly surprised at the amount of displays and information that were packed into the building.

Popped in for a visit on a stormy afternoon and was told we needed reservations. Asked if we could make reservations at the point of entry and told “no, they have to be online.” As there was no one waiting in line behind us, asked if we could have the reservations made now, through the admissions guy. We did not have our phone with us, as it was bucketing and we didn’t want to risk rain damage to the phone. Told “No, we don’t do that” even as I saw an open, online screen on his laptop at the point of entry. I have popped in to other businesses here in New Orleans, like Saba restaurant, and they have been most gracious and made a reservation for us to use right then. Good to know that in a pandemic the museum can afford to be obnoxious to tourists trying to gain entry.

This place may sound a bit boring in name but the place is wonderful to visit. Two thoughts to keep in mind: the self guided tour is great but the guided tour is on another level, and you need to have an open mind to really enjoy it as much as possible. It is only $5 per person entry either way. The place is the original site of the first licensed pharmacy in the United States, but you could practice without being licensed. It is a collection of 19th century medical and pharmacological items from original powders, pills and bottles all the way to saws, knives, needles, glasses, tables, etc. It is also a business/home combination common from the times. Owen is the curator and does the guided tour. He is sarcastic and funny while informative about the medical ideas of the time before germ theory. He may throw in a few swear words and references to how some medical ideas about class and gender have not changed that much over time. They are all worthy and entertaining references so long as you keep an open mind to this being a window to the 1800s. This was likely the best $5 I’ve spent so far in New Orleans.

At first you think oh no! what did I get myself into. The speaker was great. He kept your attention at all times and even though we were packed into the tiny RX he was able to move around and entertain us all. The $5 dollar fee was well deserved. You could feel the history as the speaker explained thoroughly how this came from then to now. Amazing information.

As someone in the medical field, I knew I would enjoy this museum, but was worried my husband wouldn't (he did!). The courtyard inside the building was a surprise! It was stunning. There are so many old medical devices and artifacts in the museum, it's overwhelming. The best part was the 1 pm tour (not really a tour, but a curator led show and tell discussion hour). The curator is quirky, funny, passionate and so so interesting! We learned so much, not only about 19th century medical history, but about life in the French Quarter during its early years. It's fascinating and horrifying all at the same time. Word is obviously out though, as the room was PACKED! Be prepared to stand for an hour in a crowd. This seemed best for teens interested in science and history, and up.

An interesting collection of bottles, potions, equipment used in treating used in treating just about any condition you can imagine. It is a walkthrough on your own museum, so time needed is dependent on your level of interest. It is easy to find and centrally located. Definitely worth an hour of your time. Reservations are required due to capacity restrictions.

This place has it all. Education, spookyness, and air conditioning! It is a self guided tour through the nation's first pharmacy. It tells the stories of the pharmacists who owned it and the supposed hauntings the building holds. It is host to all sorts of antique medical equipment and medicines. Very interensting and great. The t-shirts look great too!

From a pharmacist’s point of view, this was a great spot to stop and and wander around the vast collection of pharmacy and associated artifacts. Even from a non-pharmacist’s point of view, it was a good stop, mostly thanks to Owen the curator, who presented a lively, humorous and very informative “tour” of the museum. There was quite a large crowd in a rather small space, but everyone just stood around and listened to the presentation. In addition to the “tour”, the museum itself is well organized and easy to wander through, with well labelled displays of all the former tools of the trade, and more. There is only one “tour” each day at 1:00 p.m., so make sure you arrange to be there - it wouldn’t be quite the same just wandering through on your own.

Very interesting museum to visit. The displays were easy to navigate and they provided information both in the displays and in a digital self guided tour document (or you could grab a paper one). The person working the ticket desk was also available for questions and very helpful. There are displays on the first floor and another couple rooms upstairs to visit. Overall was a cool place to see! Admission was only $10, and they offered student discounts.

What a find this museum is. It is a terrific recreation of the 19th century pharmacy. They have curated this with original historic items, devices and documentation. The accompanying card descriptors are very instructive. Located in the midst of the French Quarter. Seniors get in for just $5.