Musée pharmaceutique Albert Couvreur
UCLouvain museum devoted to early pharmacy: apothecary jars, utensils, instruments and books; visits on request.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Albert Couvreur Pharmaceutical Museum houses the collection bequeathed to the university by the pharmacist Albert Couvreur (1887-1955). Opened in 1982, it is located on the UCLouvain Brussels Woluwe campus, in the Van Helmont tower, avenue Emmanuel Mounier.
The collection includes pharmacy jars, chemistry utensils, furniture dating from around 1800, instruments and medicine inventories. The pottery collection covers the 15th to the 19th century and includes pieces from all over Europe, in stone, cast iron, copper and bronze. Couvreur also bequeathed a library of about 750 works published between the 16th and 20th centuries, notably on materia medica and pharmacopoeia.
The ensemble evokes the atmosphere of an 18th-century apothecary shop and invites the visitor to step into the shoes of an apothecary. The general tour presents the three main areas of the collection: pharmacy jars, old books and instruments, and also covers the history of the collection. UCLouvain also manages, on the same campus, a sculpture garden and the Paul Moens medicinal plant garden. The museum takes part every year in the Brussels Museums Nocturnes.
Highlights
- Pharmacy jars and pottery from the 15th to the 19th century
- Old books: a library of about 750 works
- Chemistry instruments and utensils
- Atmosphere of an 18th-century apothecary shop
- Children’s visits with microscopy and instrument observation
Permanent exhibition
- Collection pharmaceutique Albert Couvreur – Pharmacy jars, chemistry utensils, instruments and old books recreate the atmosphere of an 18th-century apothecary shop.
- Founded
- 1982
- Operated by
- UCLouvain
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | freeStudents and under-26s (free) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free for under-26s |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students |
| Guided tour (per guide, maximum 15 people, maximum 2 guides) | €25To be added to the entrance fee |
Entrance fee: adults €2.50; students and under-26s free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
A special guided tour for children offers playful activities around early pharmacy (microscopy, observing instruments such as the root cutter or the old balance).
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours on request, on weekdays or at weekends. Adult visit: the three main areas of the collection (jars, old books, instruments) and the history of the collection. Children’s visit: discovering pharmaceutical science through playful activities, such as microscopy and observing instruments. Lending of books or utensils possible on request. |
