Erasmus and Paracelsus once frequented the “Haus zum vorderen Sessel” (“House of the front armchair”) on Totengässlein street. The pugnacious physician and natural scientist even lived there for a while. Today the buildings surrounding a beautiful patio accommodate the world’s largest collection on the history of pharmacy. Strange and artistic instruments and receptacles, a 16th century laboratory, distillation gadgets, the equipment of historic pharmacies and many facts on successful healings and medical and pharmaceutical misguidances can be found here. The museum was founded in 1925 by the University of Basel and today has a herbarium, in which you can buy numerous herbs, soaps, mortars, books and ingredients for the molecular cuisine. You should definitely ask whether there is any apothecary equipment on special sale. The shop assistants will guide you to an exciting room full of petri dishes, bottles and other wonderful old receptacles that you can buy for little money.
Totengässlein 3
Basel- Grossbasel
phone: +41 61 2649111
tue - fri 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
sat 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
