This post is designed to help visitors plan a trip to the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, including tickets, deals, the best times to visit, and what to expect while you’re here.
The following section will prepare you for a trip to the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, including how to find the museum, the best times to visit, and what to expect.
Despite the size of the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, it’s very highly rated and most people who visit are impressed.
This building is actually the home of the first licensed pharmacy in the United States.
When you walk inside, you’ll immediately get the sense that you have gone back in time.
The eerie atmosphere of such an old pharmacy filled with now outdated forms of medicine leaves a lot of visitors feeling a little creeped out.
Make sure to visit our museum history section for more historical information.
Rumor has it that the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is actually haunted.
Although nothing has been confirmed, believers may want to consider a visit simply to see if they can spot any supernatural happenings.
Alternatively, you may also want to consider one of our ghost tours!
You can also expect to find several exhibits and artifacts in this museum which date back to the 1800s.
The story of early medicinal development in the United States is sure to interest audiences of all ages.
Even children will find something of interest in attractions such as the soda fountains.
Despite the size of this museum, guests typically report spending at least 1 hour inside.
Some visitors stay for 2 hours or more, but you should probably set aside at least 1 ½ hours for this activity.
Admission to the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is very affordable.
A family of four (2 Adults + 2 Kids) could pay as little as $20 to get in, and there is a lot to see inside.
Pharmacy Museum Ticket Prices
- $10/Adults | $7/Students & Seniors
- Children under 6 are free
Tickets can be purchased on-site when you arrive.
If you’re planning to get a tourist pass, then know that the museum is included with the New Orleans Pass.
This concession card will also provide access to several nearby locations like the Cabildo and the Presbytere.
For more information, check our post on New Orleans attraction passes.
Although there are a lot of historic artifacts on display at this museum, they do their best to keep things looking like an actual pharmacy.
As a result, you’ll find a lot of areas that highlight specific moments in the history of medicine.
Voodoo Potions
New Orleans has a unique history of alternative medicines, and the New Orleans Pharmacy has some of them on display.
While a lot of people didn’t trust these potions, there were times when treatments prescribed by a Voodoo priestess were actually far more effective (and based in legitimate herbal medicine) than anything offered by European Americans.
Anyone interested in this subject may also want to visit the nearby Voodoo museum or take our Voodoo tour.
Perfumes and Cosmetics
Some of the ingredients that they used for these goods may be questionable to modern audiences.
But, you’d be surprised how many elements remain in most perfumes and cosmetics to this very day.
Medicines intended for women also typically had some kind of alcohol or narcotics in them.
In many cases, these treatments would probably land you in jail today!
Soda Fountain
Can you believe that the fizzy drinks we give to our kids today were once thought to have medicinal value?
Originally, bitter medicines would be mixed with sweet drinks in order to make them more appealing to customers.
This is one of the reasons why Coca-Cola once contained ingredients from the coca plant – commonly known today as the source of Cocaine.
That ingredient was removed in 1903.
Surgical Instruments
They may look incredibly out of date, but a lot of the utensils doctors use today were actually influenced by some of the tools you’ll see in this museum.
That being said, practices have definitely changed since then, as it was once common to avoid a doctor who didn’t have well-used surgical instruments.
Spectacles Collection
If you think the glasses we wear today look odd, make sure to stop by the collection of spectacles on the second floor.
This exhibit includes a variety of glasses used to help the visually impaired.
While some styles and concepts are still used to this day, many of them have changed over time.
Due to its central location in the French Quarter, many people will choose to just walk here.
Regardless of your mode of transportation, use this map for specific directions.
Not only are their hours fairly short, but this location is only open five days a week.
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum Hours
- Tuesday - Wednesday: 10 am - 4 pm (10 am entry only for guided tours)
- Thursday - Saturday: 11am - 4pm
Although most people who visit this historic site do not report that there are heavy crowds, some reviews indicate that this location can get pretty packed.
Due to the dimensions of the museum, even a small group of people can make it difficult to see everything.
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is typically at its busiest from 11 am - 2 pm.
If you want to avoid the crowds, consider making your trip either early between 10 am - 11:30 am or later from 2 pm - 4 pm.
Unlike other attractions in the area, this location doesn’t get any busier during weekends or on specific days.
As a result, you can expect these hours to be the best time to visit no matter when you come.
For more details, check our ticket information section.
The great thing about museums in New Orleans is that they are usually found in historic buildings.
In this case, the building where you will find the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum has the distinction of being one of the first legitimate pharmacies in the country.
Rather than transforming an old landmark into something different, they decided to turn the old shop into a museum using many artifacts from the site itself.
This old pharmacy first opened up in 1823, and there are still old bottles and medicines from the 1800s housed at this location.
Louis Dufilho Jr was the original owner of this pharmacy, and he was also the first licensed pharmacist in the United States.
He and his family lived on-site in the apartment on the 2nd floor until 1855, when the pharmacy would be sold to a man named Dr. Joseph Dupas.
Those who believe in the paranormal may be interested to learn that some say the ghost of Dr. Dupas still roams around the old museum.
Although this obviously can’t be confirmed, visitors have indicated that they have seen an old man wearing a brown suit and top hat that wouldn’t be unlike the kind of clothing worn by the doctor while he was alive.
If you want to learn more about the potential haunted history of this location, consider taking a ghost tour in the French Quarter.
Visit their website for more information.
