Pharmacy Museum, New Orleans

What a find this museum is! It offers a well-rounded experience combining education, spookiness, a picture-perfect garden setting, and even a charming balcony. Whether you opt for a guided tour or prefer to explore at your own pace, you'll journey through the nation's first pharmacy, which weaves together the stories of its owners, including J. Dufilho, recognized as the first licensed pharmacist in the U.S. Along the way, you'll also delve into the intriguing tales of supposed hauntings that have been associated with the building.

The museum spans two floors, with the initial creaky wooden level faithfully replicating a functioning apothecary that includes a soda fountain from 1855. Here, you'll encounter displays featuring blood-letting equipment, microscopes, and 19th-century cosmetics elegantly housed in rosewood cabinets. At the prescription counter, you can gain insights into how pharmacists of the era prepared and filled vintage bottles with a wide range of substances, from voodoo potions and herbs to opium and cocaine-based medications.

Ascending to the second floor, you'll find an examination room replete with a hospital bed and an array of antiquated surgical instruments, including archaic child-birthing devices, vintage wheelchairs, primitive crutches, inhalers, and spectacles.

In the tranquil courtyard tucked behind the apothecary, away from the busy street, you'll encounter a variety of herbs and flowers that were once integral to the pharmacy trade. These plants served diverse medicinal purposes: Aloe was applied to soothe burns, jasmine was used to calm upset stomachs, foxglove acted as a potent heart stimulant, and Angel’s Trumpet offered relief from asthma symptoms.

All in all, a visit to the Pharmacy Museum is a rewarding investment of both your money and time.