New Orleans

A historic apothecary shop-turned-museum showcasing 19th–20th century pharmacy and medicine, with an extensive collection of artifacts focused on New Orleans' pharmaceutical history. Housed in a Creole townhouse (built 1823) that was home to Louis J. Dufilho Jr., America's first licensed pharmacist. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum occupies a historic 1823 Creole townhouse that once served as America's first licensed pharmacy, operated by Louis Joseph Dufilho Jr., the first licensed pharmacist in the United States. The museum showcases the evolution of pharmaceutical practice from the early 19th century through the Civil War era, featuring an extensive collection of apothecary jars, surgical instruments, patent medicines, and herbal remedies that reflect both European traditions and unique New Orleans medical practices influenced by African, Caribbean, and Native American healing traditions. Visitors can explore authentic pharmacy fixtures including ornate mahogany cabinets, brass scales, and marble mortars and pestles, while learning about the yellow fever epidemics that plagued New Orleans and the pharmaceutical responses to tropical diseases. The museum's narrow three-story layout preserves the intimate atmosphere of a 19th-century apothecary, with period rooms displaying everything from opium-based remedies to early dental tools, offering a fascinating glimpse into medical practices before modern regulations. The collection uniquely emphasizes New Orleans' role as a major port city where international medical knowledge converged, making it an essential stop for understanding both American pharmaceutical history and the multicultural medical traditions of the Gulf South.