Pharmacy Museum and Qwensel House

Qwensel House is the oldest surviving bourgeois house in Turku, dating back to about 1700. Its Rococo and Gustavian interiors present the lifestyle of the well-to-do in that period.

The Turku Association of Pharmacists was established in 1936, and it soon began to systematically collect pharmacy paraphernalia. A complete pharmacy interior from the 1850s was found and purchased in Oulu. The collection became so vast that in 1938 the association decided to establish a pharmacy museum in Turku.

Because most of the collected items were from the 19th century, it was decided that the museum was to showcase that era. During restoration, however, it was discovered that even older interior details had remained in the house, such as original 18th century tapestries. This led to rooms in the main building being restored to an even older period.

The Pharmacy Museum opened to the public on 2 June 1958. In 1978 the city granted the museum use of all the buildings in the Qwensel House.

The courtyard is an almost unchanged slice of Turku from a few hundred years ago. Cafe Qwensel, and the Children’s Pharmacy in the summer, are open to visitors during museum opening hours.

In the summer and during the Christmas holiday season, the museum organises guided tours and events, which are specified in more detail in the events calendar.

Läntinen Rantakatu 13b
Turku 20100 FI
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