3 Museums Pharmacists Should Visit

Museums are a great way to expand your knowledge and add culture to your life.

Family museum outings are also unique educational experiences for children.

Summer is a great time for pharmacists to vacation with the family, and many museums can be incorporated on your trips.

If you are a local, then you can make these fun day trips with family and friends.

Are you trying to beat the heat this summer?

Then museums are perfect for you.

Check out these 3 science based museums that pharmacists should visit.

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is a great place to visit if you are traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana on business or pleasure.

I first visited the museum several years ago for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting.

There is a small fee to visit the museum with a discount for students and seniors, and children under 6 years are free.

The museum was very impressive and filled with historical significance, as it is housed in the site of the apothecary of American’s first licensed pharmacist Louis J. Dufilho, Jr.¹

The museum also hosts weddings and other receptions in its beautiful courtyard.

I

f you are looking for a pharmacy themed wedding, then the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is the perfect place to tie the knot.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Museum & Visitors Center

The DEA Museum is located in Arlington Virginia, and its goal is to educate the public on the history of drugs and dangers of drug abuse through interactive exhibits.

The exhibits include the following:²

·

Illegal Drugs in America

·

Good Medicine, Bad Behavior

·

Drugs: Costs & Consequences

The DEA museum also contains more than 2,000 artifacts related to the history of drugs and law enforcement and over 5,000 images from the late 1800s to the present.²

My visit to the museum was a great experience, and I utilized information for my prescription drug abuse pharmacy lectures.

The museum is free of charge and a definite must see for pharmacists traveling to the area.

If you are traveling with children, they can participate in the DEA Junior Special Agent program where they join in a scavenger hunt.

They will also receive a Certificate of Completion and a Junior Special Agent badge.

Pacific Science Center

The Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington is an action packed museum filled with a plethora of events.

There are a variety of exhibits including a butterfly house, garden, science playground, toddler area, and health and wellness activities.³

They host a monthly lecture series that includes the latest science trends and research happening at the museum.

Monthly curiosity days involve hands on activities and experiments.

There is also a monthly meet a scientist event.

One of my favorites is the Laser Dome where I watched a spectacular laser show performed to The Beatles Songs.

Pharmacists, hopefully this summer you can enjoy these museums with family and friends!

References

1.

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum website.

http://www.pharmacymuseum.org/about

.

Accessed June 4, 2017.

2.

Exhibits.

DEA museum website.

https://deamuseum.org/exhibits/.

Accessed June 5, 2017.

3.

Events from the Pacific Science Center.

Pacific Science Center website.

https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/events-public/.

Accessed June 5, 2017.