Florence

The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, established in 1221 by Dominican friars in Florence, stands as the world's oldest continuously operating pharmacy and represents a unique intersection of monastic tradition, pharmaceutical history, and artisanal craftsmanship. The museum is housed in stunning historical spaces including the former Chapel of San Niccolò with its elegant frescoed vaults, the Ancient Apothecary with walls lined with antique wooden shelves, and the Sacristy adorned with 14th-century frescoes by Mariotto di Nardo depicting monks with books. Visitors can explore eight centuries of pharmaceutical evolution through historic ceramic vases that once stored medicinal herbs, ancient scientific instruments, original recipe books, and learn about famous products like "Acqua della Regina" created in 1533 for Catherine de' Medici, Queen of France. The museum showcases the transition from medieval monastic medicine to modern perfumery and cosmetics, with original formulations codified in Fra' Cosimo Bucelli's 1749 manuscript "I segreti della Fonderia di Sua Altezza Reale." The experience includes a Tea Room where visitors can sample traditional products in an elegant setting, making it both an educational journey through pharmaceutical history and a sensory immersion into centuries-old Italian craftsmanship.