Museums and Palaces

Inaugurated in June 1996, in Lisbon, the Museum was born from the Portuguese Pharmacies' intention to preserve the history of their profession. In 1981, all pharmacies received an appeal from the Board of the National Association of Pharmacies to donate pieces to build up a collection for the future Pharmacy Museum.

The enthusiasm shown by the associates has generated a large and representative collection of the history of Portuguese pharmacy; between 1997 and 2010, the Museum tried to build a representative collection of the history of pharmacy worldwide, gathering an exceptional collection that is today an international reference.

The museum recreates spaces and environments that allow visitors to see the evolution of Portuguese pharmacy from the end of the 15th century to the present day, through reconstitutions of real establishments - from the old pharmacy of the 18th century to the Farmácia Liberal (Liberal Pharmacy) of the early 20th century. It also includes a reconstitution of a traditional pharmacy from Macao, from the late 19th century, and an area dedicated to the Military Pharmacy. 

The pieces come from civilisations and cultures as distant in time and space as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Incas, the Aztecs, Islam, Tibet, China, Japan and finally European Pharmacy from the Middle Ages to the isolation of penicillin. The exhibition ends with the display of portable pharmacies used on the “Endeavour” Space Shuttle and medicines from the Mir Space Station.