New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
4.7(2.8K)google
4.5(421)yelp
HistoryIndoor
Overview
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is a museum located in the French Quarter of New Orleans that showcases the world of early pharmacies and medicine and describes development of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare practices in the 19th century. It is the largest collection of pharmaceutical memorabilia in the United States. The building is the former residence and apothecary of America's first licensed pharmacist, Louis J. Dufilho, Jr.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeExcellent year-round, with the daily historical guided tour slot (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday) offering the best depth. Housed inside America's first licensed pharmacist's 1823 shop, the interior holds rows of hand-blown apothecary jars and voodoo herbs. A guide is essential to unlocking the stories of yellow fever epidemics.
Getting ThereLocated in the heart of the French Quarter at 514 Chartres Street. The area is heavily congested with zero driving access. Public transit users should take the St. Charles Streetcar to the Canal at Carondelet stop, then walk northeast along Chartres Street for approximately 5 minutes until you spot the historic wooden entrance.
Travel Tips
- Housed in an 1823 apothecary, interiors are highly cramped; all backpacks and large shoulder bags are banned inside galleries to protect antique glassware.
- Closed Mondays and Tuesdays with highly compressed daily operational windows (10 AM - 4 PM); the outdoor historic courtyard closes instantly during storm deluges.
- Exhibits contain vintage toxic mercury and early narcotic jars; running is strictly barred, and no-touch rules are heavily enforced by docents.
Reviews
Positive
- Housed in the 1823 shop of America's first licensed pharmacist, this museum is deeply fascinating, perfectly preserving vintage apothecary cabinets, hand-blown jars, and bizarre historical surgical tools.
- The documentation and artifacts are highly insightful, detailing not only the madness of early medicine but also NOLA's yellow fever outbreaks and the mysterious overlap between voodoo potions and traditional remedies.
- Admission is incredibly cheap at just a few dollars; joining their scheduled guided tours is highly recommended as the docents are witty and knowledgeable, sharing incredible anecdotes about bloodletting.
- The museum hides an exquisite, historic brick-paved courtyard in the back; filled with lush tropical flora, it completely blocks out the chaotic street noise, serving as a peaceful spot for photos.
Heads up
- The physical layout is very limited, spanning just two small floors; if you don't read every description placard, simply viewing the displays takes under half an hour, making a dedicated trip feel short.
- As a strictly preserved historic building, it completely lacks modern accessible elevators; mobility-challenged guests or wheelchair users cannot reach the steep, narrow wooden second floor.
- The interior lighting is kept dim to preserve the apothecary atmosphere and old documents; severe glare on display glass makes reading text blocks a bit straining for elderly visitors.
- Due to its small size and high popularity, the compact shop floors get heavily packed with tour groups on weekends, causing narrow aisles to congest and ruining a quiet, detailed study.