NEW ORLEANS GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Leeches, Opium and Apothecary Cabinets: An Hour Inside the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
A fully narrated, 60-minute guided tour of the former apothecary and home of America’s first licensed pharmacist, covering the museum’s first floor, courtyard and access to second-floor exhibits.
Leeches, Opium and Apothecary Cabinets: An Hour Inside the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.
Tucked into the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum stages a compact, vividly strange lesson in medical history. In an hour-long, fully narrated tour you move through a preserved apothecary and courtyard, and then gain access to additional second-floor exhibits that trace pharmaceutical practice from the mid-19th to the early 20th century.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
The apothecary of America's first licensed pharmacist
The guided tour takes you through the former home and apothecary of America's first licensed pharmacist, situating displays and narratives in their original 19th-century setting.
Remedies that read like curiosities
Exhibits and narration highlight early treatments — from leeches to opium — that reveal how medical practice and remedies evolved over the late 1800s and early 1900s.
First-floor rooms, a courtyard, and upstairs exhibits
The tour covers the museum’s first floor and courtyard during the guided portion, with visitors given access to second-floor exhibits after the narration concludes.
What the day feels like
What the hour feels like
The experience unfolds as a fully narrated, one-hour walkthrough: detailed interpretation in the first-floor apothecary and courtyard, followed by open access to second-floor exhibits that deepen the story of pharmaceuticals and medicine from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this visit.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The experience is a fully narrated, one-hour guided tour.
No special gear is required for this indoor museum tour and courtyard visit.
The museum sits in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter; the guided tour covers the first floor and courtyard and provides access to second-floor exhibits after the narration.
Reservations are recommended — the museum’s materials encourage reserving your spot.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the guided tour?
The guided tour is a fully narrated, one-hour experience.
Is this suitable for children?
Yes — materials indicate the experience is for all ages.
What does the tour include?
The tour covers the museum’s first floor and courtyard during the narrated portion; visitors are given access to second-floor exhibits following the tour.
What eras or topics do the exhibits cover?
Exhibits span pharmaceutical and medical history from the mid-19th to the early 20th centuries, including historic remedies such as leeches and opium.
Where is the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum located?
The museum is located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.