From carboys to COVID vaccination, herbs to herbals, materia medica to medicines, explore the objects and organisations that tell pharmacy histories today. This course presented by the Faculty of the History & Philosophy of Medicine & Pharmacy and the British Society for the History of Pharmacy will take you behind the scenes of key pharmaceutical collections with curator-led tours, object-based sessions and insightful talks that provide background stories and reflect on the challenges of curating and collecting pharmacy history to present to visitors in the 21st century.
Collecting and Reflecting Pharmacy History
Programme
Wednesday 27 September 2023
Morning – Science Museum –
9.50 – Muster at 165 Queens Gate
10am-Talk & Tour
Hear from the team behind the Injecting Hope exhibition on the challenges of collecting to reflect the Covid pandemic, and enjoy a curator’s tour of the display. There will also be free time to visit the Medicine Galleries, with their 3000 objects spanning over 500 years of history.
Afternoon – Economic Botany Collection, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew – Arrival 2pm
Explore the pharmacy collections that form part of the Economic Botany Collection, with a behind-the-scenes curator’s tour of the store, and hear about the challenges of curating a historical pharmacy collection within colonial contexts. There will be free time to spend in the gardens during the afternoon.
Thursday 28 September 2023
Morning – Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum
10am Tour
11am Teas
11.30am Collections
Enjoy a guided tour of the displays from the museum team, with a chance to find out about the history of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the pharmacy profession and medicines. This will be followed by an up-close session looking at key items from the collections.
Afternoon – Apothecaries’ Hall
2pm Tour & Networking
Experience a guided tour of the atmospheric 17th century livery hall and its collections, and see objects and archives usually stored behind-the-scenes. We will finish the afternoon with a drinks reception and a chance to network with your fellow delegates.
Friday 29 September 2023
Morning – Royal College of Physicians
10am – Tour
10.50am – Teas
11.10am – Collections
Spend the morning exploring the collections and architecture at the Royal College of Physicians, with a curator’s guided tour, a collections session looking at a specially-chosen selection of rare books related to pharmacy history, and a chance to look at the wide-ranging displays.
Afternoon – Chelsea Physic Garden
1.30pm – Garden tour
In its 350th anniversary year, this is an opportunity to enjoy the garden and learn more about its history, with a private tour followed by free time to browse at your leisure.
