Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum

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Would you consume human skull to cure your epilepsy? Have you ever seen a unicorn horn? Would you rub the grease of a dead bear on your head?

From Ancient Greek medical theories, to a rare penicillin culture vessel; from a mummified hand to the fastest selling drug in the world. All of these and more can be found in this collection of over 45,000 objects including a beautiful collection of English delftware drug storage jars amongst which is the oldest known dated piece.

The Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's own web pages may be found on the RPSGB website at http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/informationresources/museum/

The Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain also features in our Learning section.

Museum Details

RPSGB Museum
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
1 Lambeth High Street
London
SE1 7JN
(Public entrance on Lambeth Road)
Tel. 020 7572 2210

Open to visitors, Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 (ground floor displays only) FREE admission.

Other Information

FREE Museum tours. Please contact us to book.
Group visits by appointment.

Open to researchers from 09:00 - 17:00 weekdays only, by appointment.
DISABLED ACCESS: Wheelchair access to all areas. Large print information sheets available on request.

Vauxhall, Waterloo
Lambeth North, Vauxhall, Waterloo
3, 77, 344, 507, C10

Latest news from the RPSGB Museum

Lambeth Pharmacy Walks

Take the opportunity to explore the pharmacy, health and medical links in the neighbourhood around the Royal Pharmaceutical Society headquarters in Lambeth on a guided walk. Join Briony Hudson, Keeper of the Museum Collections, to learn more about the history of medical ceramics, the living conditions in 19^th century Lambeth, Charlie Chaplin, and the Dukes of Norfolk. She will be leading the walk on 2 dates: Wednesday 26^th May at 2pm, and Thursday 24^th June at 6pm. The walk takes around 90 minutes and will go ahead whatever the weather, so please come prepared for sunshine or rain. There is a suggested donation of £3 per person, payable on the day. Please contact us to put your name on the guest list.

If you can’t make it to Lambeth in person, or would like to explore the area another time, our popular Lambeth Pharmacy Walk is available as a leaflet or click here to download it from our website.

Salvarsan: the first 'magic bullet'
The Museum’s latest small display in the Society’s reception area marks the centenary of the first ‘magic bullet’ drug, Salvarsan. Developed by Paul Ehrlich, Compound 606 as it was also known, was a key milestone in the treatment of syphilis, and the start of a whole new generation of treatments that led to antibiotics. The display will be on show from May 10th until the end of August. The reception display area is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and admission is free to all.

Discovering treatments for influenza

Each year we investigate different diseases and how they have been treated over time. This year we are exploring the history of influenza, bringing the story right up to date with the recent pandemic and pharmaceutical responses to it. The newest object in the display is a packet of Tamiflu, the oldest is an 18^th century bleeding bowl representing a common approach to influenza 300 years ago. We have also got a fascinating collection of flu vaccines on display, including one dating from the infamous 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The reception display is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and admission is free. The display will be on show until March 2011. Click here for information sheets based on the diseases we have investigated in previous years.

Online research guide

The Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has launched an online research guide, Discovering pharmacy history. The fully illustrated guide provides details about a range of resources, suggestions of research questions and how to investigate them, ideas for research projects, and links to further information. It’s a perfect place to start if you’re new to researching British pharmacy history, or if you’re an experienced researcher who needs some suggestions of further resources or subject areas. Click here to find it.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum

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