CubaPLUS Magazine

According to the National Cultural Heritage Council, an agency under the Ministry of Culture, Cuba boasts 338 museums. While each offers fascinating collections, one that consistently captures the imagination of travelers is undoubtedly the Taquechel Pharmacy Museum, a beautiful tribute to the country’s pharmacological history.

Located on the bustling Obispo Street in Old Havana, this unique space opened in 1996 following a meticulous restoration by the Office of the City Historian. Inside, the museum preserves original shelves, counters, and rare artifacts from a 19th-century apothecary. Each piece serves as a testament to Cuba's scientific development and pharmaceutical traditions, highlighting the historical importance of pharmacy in healthcare.

Housed in a beautifully preserved colonial building, the museum offers a tour steeped in historical authenticity. Beyond its exhibits, Taquechel serves as an educational institution, offering guided tours where visitors can learn about the traditional methods of preparing medicines in bygone eras, as well as the various medicinal plants native to the island used to treat different ailments.

The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions featuring vintage medicine and perfume bottles, tools and instruments from historic Havana drugstores, and archaeological findings excavated from various sites within the Historic Center. These displays provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the evolution of the pharmaceutical world.

In keeping with its heritage, the establishment still sells natural therapeutic products and homeopathic remedies. Visitors can purchase dietary supplements, seaweed creams, medicinal honeys, antioxidant vitamins, and wellness products derived from shark cartilage and calendula.

In essence, the Taquechel Pharmacy Museum is a fascinating bridge between the past and present of Cuban pharmacology, offering an enriching experience that seamlessly blends history, science, and culture.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)