Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy

About

The Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy in Kaunas is one of the city’s most atmospheric museums, housed in a restored 19th‑century pharmacy on the historic Town Hall Square. Stepping inside feels like entering a preserved world of apothecaries, early medical practice, and scientific curiosity. The museum was founded on the collection of pharmacist Juozas Venclauskis, whose passion for preserving medical heritage grew into one of Lithuania’s most distinctive institutions. Visitors can explore authentic pharmacy interiors with wooden counters, glass jars, ceramic vessels, and original tools once used to prepare tinctures, powders, and ointments. One of the most interesting rooms is the herbarium, where shelves are filled with dried plants that once formed the basis of traditional remedies. The basement reveals a reconstructed alchemist’s laboratory, complete with mysterious instruments and early chemical equipment. The museum also displays surgical tools, dental instruments, and rare medical devices that trace the evolution of healthcare from folk medicine to modern science. Its charm lies in the intimate scale and the sense that every object has a story, offering a vivid glimpse into how people once understood healing and the body.

Kaunas Lithuania

Location

The Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy is located in Kaunas Old Town, housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century building on Rotušės Square. It’s one of the most unique museums in the Baltic States, showcasing how medicine and pharmacy evolved from medieval times to the 20th century. The exhibition spans several floors with original apothecary furniture, antique medical instruments, alchemy equipment, dental chairs, and reconstructed pharmacy interiors from the 19th century. You’ll see rare herbariums, handwritten prescriptions, and tools used by village healers, surgeons, and pharmacists. The atmosphere feels like stepping into an old apothecary shop, complete with the smell of dried herbs. The museum sits right on Town Hall Square, the heart of Kaunas Old Town. Steps away are the Kaunas Town Hall, called the “White Swan,” and Kaunas Cathedral Basilica with its impressive Gothic and Baroque architecture. The pedestrian Vilnius Street is nearby, full of cafes, bookshops, and souvenir stores. Other attractions within walking distance include Kaunas Castle at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers, the House of Perkūnas, and the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum. The Aleksotas Funicular and panoramic Aleksotas observation point are also close, giving you sweeping views over the Old Town rooftops.