Thüringer Apothekenmuseum
History of pharmacy from the 18th to the 20th century in the half-timbered Haus Rosenthal (1515) in Bad Langensalza – with a medicinal herb garden next door.
About the museum
Haus Rosenthal on Bergstraße is one of the oldest half-timbered buildings in Bad Langensalza; it was built in 1515 as a residence and storehouse. Its elaborate restoration uncovered two wooden-paneled rooms from 1467 and 1515, painted wall paneling and a stucco ceiling from 1693. For the restoration, the town received a commendation at the Thüringer Holzbaupreis (Thuringian timber construction award) in 2013 and the Thüringer Denkmalschutzpreis (Thuringian heritage protection award) in 2015.
The core of the collection is the inventory of the Löwen-Apotheke in Eschwege, Hesse. Its last owners, Alexander and Gotlind Dörries, handed over a large part of their collection to the town of Bad Langensalza on their retirement in 2012, with the aim of setting up a pharmacy museum here. The Thüringer Apothekenmuseum opened on May 18, 2014; it is run by the town.
Across some 276 square meters, eight rooms trace the working world of a pharmacy from the 18th to the 20th century: a re-created dispensary (officina), herb room, poison cabinet and laboratory, along with apothecary jars of glass, porcelain and wood, mortars and scales. A special focus is on the pharmacist and chemist Johann Christian Wiegleb (1732–1800), who worked in Langensalza. The adjoining apothecary garden grows more than 80 mostly native medicinal plants, arranged by ailments such as cardiovascular or respiratory diseases.
Highlights
- Re-created dispensary with apothecary jars from the Löwen-Apotheke in Eschwege
- Poison cabinet, herb room and historic laboratory
- Tribute to the pharmacist and chemist Johann Christian Wiegleb
- Wooden-paneled rooms from 1467 and 1515 and a 1693 stucco ceiling in Haus Rosenthal
- Apothecary garden with more than 80 medicinal herbs
- Founded
- 2014
- Operated by
- Stadt Bad Langensalza
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4 |
| Children & teens | freeChildren and school students get free admission. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companion free with the "B" marker. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €4 per personPer person, for groups of 10 or more. |
| Combination ticket Apothekenmuseum + Stadtmuseum (valid for 3 days) | €8Reduced €6 |
| Public museum tour (plus admission) | €2.50Per person |
| Booked guided tour (plus admission) | €40Flat rate per group, advance booking only |
| Annual garden pass (parks & themed gardens incl. Apothekenmuseum) | €45Available at the tourist information office |
Free admission also for accompanying teachers and educators, tour leaders, tourist guides, press, and members of ICOM and the Museumsbund. In 2025 the town also offered occasional free public guided tours (11:00).
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The first floor and the apothecary garden are accessible; the exhibition on the upper floor is not.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Museum tours by advance booking only (administration: 03603 813654). Ticket desk: 03603 8945896. |
