Pharmacy Museum Porto

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Porto > Porto > Porto > Zona Industrial do Porto

Location

The Pharmacy Museum of Porto is located in a consolidated urban area of the city of Porto, on Rua Engenheiro Ferreira Dias. Its location allows for easy access, being integrated into the urban fabric of the locality, a few kilometers from the city center.

A Journey Through the History of Health

The Pharmacy Museum of Porto invites an in-depth exploration of the evolution of health, disease, and healing practices over millions of years. Through a vast collection, it is possible to understand how humanity, in different eras and geographies, sought to alleviate suffering and promote well-being. The collection encompasses artifacts illustrating the journey from the most ancient civilizations to the most recent advances, offering a global and interconnected perspective on the history of pharmacy.

Pharmacies Through Time and Around the World

One of the central points of the museum is the faithful reconstitution of pharmaceutical environments from different eras and cultures. It is possible to observe the Estácio Pharmacy of Porto, originally located on Rua Sá da Bandeira, a remarkable 20th-century example in the city. This reconstitution allows for an immersion into what was an iconic space, where customers' curiosity was piqued by unusual details, such as the famous "talking scale" that was there. Additionally, the museum exhibits the Islamic Pharmacy, a space dating back to the 19th century and originating from a palace in Damascus. This reconstitution highlights the richness of the apothecary and pharmaceutical teaching in the Islamic world, revealing the beauty of its golden carvings and decorative details.

The Heritage of Healing

In addition to the pharmacy reconstitutions, the museum houses a diversity of objects that reflect the human ingenuity in the quest for health. The collection includes ancient surgical instruments, bottles for medicinal preparations, mortars, and other utensils that tell the story of therapies and knowledge passed down through generations. From primitive artifacts denoting the first attempts at healing to the complexity of chemical medicines, the exhibited heritage illustrates the transition from belief-based practices to more scientific approaches, reflecting the constant evolution of medicine and pharmacy across different cultures and continents.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt