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The 1752 Apothecary is a part of the Moravian Church Settlements – Bethlehem World Heritage Inscription, the 26th World Heritage Site in the United States.
Up until its closing in the 1950s, the Apothecary was the oldest pharmacy in continuous operation in the United States.
The 1752 Apothecary laboratory is located just behind the Moravian Book Shop off Main Street. In 1743, within two years of the settlement of Bethlehem, an apothecary was opened in the Gemeinhaus. The apothecary was then moved into the Bell House before a laboratory was erected in 1752. In 1747, Moravians planted an herb garden to provide medicinal herbs for the apothecary. The garden in front of the Apothecary door is representative of the types of herbs grown in early Bethlehem.
The apothecary supplied medicines not only for Bethlehem but also for the surrounding areas; it developed into one of the most successful enterprises for the Church. When the apothecary closed in the 1950s, it was the oldest apothecary in continuous operation in the United States.
The original 1752 compounding hearth is intact inside the structure, and many of the artifacts, including a set of mid-18th century Delft apothecary jars, medical instruments, recipes, prescriptions, homeopathic kits, and other related ephemera, are in the collection of the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem.
The Apothecary Walking Tour leaves from the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (66 W Church Street, Bethlehem).
Visit
Join us at 12 PM, on days the Moravian Museum is open, for a tour of other Moravian buildings! In addition to the 1752 Apothecary, you will also visit the Single Sister’s House, and the Nain-Schober House. The tour leaves from the Moravian Museum and is included as a part of your Moravian Museum Admission.
