German Apothecary Museum (Deutsches Apotheken-Museum)

The German Apothecary Museum (Deutsches Apotheken-Museum) occupies the Ottheinrichsbau within Heidelberg Castle at Schlosshof 1, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the national museum for the history of pharmacy and presents how medicine, herbal remedies and the apothecary's craft developed from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The displays are set out in a sequence of rooms in the Renaissance building, where visitors see reconstructed pharmacies, laboratories and workshops from several centuries, including a Baroque pharmacy interior and alchemical equipment. The collection includes thousands of objects such as painted storage jars, mortars, scales, instruments, books and medicine chests, together with exhibits on poisons, plant medicines and early chemistry. The museum also shows how monasteries and courts shaped the supply of remedies, and the cellar rooms hold displays on herbs and everyday medicine. The museum is reached through the castle courtyard and is included in the Schlossticket, so no separate admission is required for visitors who already hold it. A visit typically takes 45 to 60 minutes, and visitors who read the labels carefully may need longer. Opening hours differ from the castle grounds, with later opening at 10:00 and closing at 18:00 from April to early January, and shorter hours in the winter months, so it is worth checking in advance. Crowds in the museum are usually lighter than in the courtyard, which makes it a good refuge from midday crowds and from rain. The best time to visit is midday between courtyard sightseeing. Labels are provided in German and English in the main rooms, and printed guides may be available at the entrance. The museum is a pleasant counterpoint to the architecture and views of the castle, giving a practical picture of daily life and science in earlier times. Photography without flash is often allowed in permanent exhibits, though visitors should check signage. Because the rooms are in an old building, passageways can be narrow, and stairs link some floors.