San Giovanni Old pharmacy

The historical apothecary, dating back to 1201, can be found in the west side of the monastery of San Giovanni. Run by Benedectine monks, the apothecary remained in use until 1766. Bought by the State, it was restored and opened to the public in 1959.

In the 16th-17th century interior decorated by frescoes, a large collection of apothecary vases is displayed on ancient wooden shelves: tall and cylindrical albarelli, flasks, jugs and mortars for the preparation of remedies.

Itinerary
1 - Sala del Pozzo
2 - Sala del Fuoco
3 - Sala dei Dottori dell’Antichità o dei Mortai
4 - Sala dei Dottori Parmigiani o delle Arpie
5 - Sala della Storia
6 - Sala della Regola
7 - Corridoio di ingresso o del Monaco
8 - Sala dei Veleni o del Libro

With the restoration of three rooms and the entrance corridor, which are added to the four monumental rooms already open, the Apothecary can now be visited in all 400 square meters of exhibition space.
Inside, artistic artifacts and work tools tell of the daily scientific commitment that the monks combined with prayer.
Dating back to 981, the building has undergone various interventions that have altered its structure, now restored in a solution very similar to the original. 

The monks' dispensary is divided into three rooms: the Room of Fire (Sala del fuoco) dominated by a large counter, the Mortar room (Sala dei mortai) frescoed with images of masters of medicine frescoed in the lunettes and the Room of the Sirens (Sala delle Sirene) dedicated to Parma's masters of medicine and pharmacology.

Path for the visually impaired:
- In the History room, the following have been set up: the tactile bust of pharmacist Ferdinando Gardoni, tactile reproductions of an albarello and a flask that can be used by the visually impaired.
- In the Well Room, there are containers with some herbal essences placed at an appropriate height to allow a olfactory experience for visually impaired people with a companion.