Royal College of Pharmacy Museum
Museum of British pharmacy history with more than 45,000 objects, from apothecary jars to medicines, in the headquarters at East Smithfield.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum began in 1842 as a teaching collection of drug and plant specimens, set up a year after the Pharmaceutical Society was founded so that pharmacy students could learn to identify materials for their examinations. Over the following decades it grew into a wide collection about the history of pharmacy in Britain.
The collection was housed at Bloomsbury Square for more than a century and later in Lambeth, before it moved to the organisation’s headquarters at East Smithfield in 2015. The organisation, formerly the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, now operates as the Royal College of Pharmacy.
Today the museum holds more than 45,000 items, some dating back to the 1600s. They include Delftware apothecary jars, mortars from many countries, medicine chests, and a large range of historic medicines, from everyday remedies to quack cures and poisons. A photograph archive, an early printed book collection and oral histories complete the holdings.
Highlights
- Delftware apothecary jars, including pieces from the 1640s
- Mortars from around the world
- Historic medicines, poisons and quack remedies
- Early printed book collection
- Oral histories and photograph archive
- Founded
- 1842
- Operated by
- Royal College of Pharmacy
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By public transit
Tower Hill station · 10-min walk
Tower Hill Underground station is about a 10-minute walk, Shadwell station about 15 minutes, and bus 100 stops about 3 minutes from the building.
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 | Tours are booked by emailing the museum with the planned visit date. |
