International Seminar “The Hygeia Legacy. Pharmacy Museums and Collections in Europe: Heritage, Identity and Memory”

Aromas Itinerarium Salutis promotes the 1st International Seminar of the European Route of Historical Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens

Presentation

On 1 June 2021, the Governing Council of the Universitat de Valencia established the headquarters of the International Association Aromas Itinerarium Salutis (AIS) in the Faculty of Geography and History of this institution, with the aim of developing a new route to be certified in the coming years by the Council of Europe as the European Route of Historic Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens. Since then, AIS has been working to create an increasingly comprehensive international network that brings together, among other actors (cultural, social, political and economic), the collections and pharmacy museums that have populated European geography for centuries and that form a heritage with a strong memory and identity.

The International Seminar was organized by Aromas Itinerarium Salutis-The European Route of Historical Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens in collaboration with the University of Valencia, the Very Illustrious Official College of Pharmacists of Valencia and the Botanical Garden of Valencia-University of Valencia.

Results

This International Seminar brought together researchers, experts, curators, and directors of European pharmacy museums and collections who had the opportunity to learn about the cultural route, get to know each other better and discuss issues and challenges related to the study, conservation and rigorous dissemination of these heritage collections which represent today a source of historical memory and cultural identity.

Photos © Aromas Itinerarium Salutis / Ph. Anfepo

Promoting dialogue & exchanging good practices

Those responsible for the pharmacy collections of prestigious European institutions and museums such as the Museu da Farmácia in Lisbon (Portugal), the Muzeograf Colectia de Historia a Farmaciei in Cluj-Napoca (Romania), the JGL Pharmacy Museum in Rijeka (Croatia), the Historischn Bibliothek der Schweizer Pharmazie in Bern (Switzerland) and the Pharmacy Museum of Roccavaldina (Italy) could dialogue with their Hispanic counterparts about the great challenges of the study, conservation and rigorous dissemination of these heritage collections, a source of historical memory and cultural identity.

Among Spaniards, this Seminar brought together contributions and experiences from pharmacy collections in Madrid, Galicia, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands, and from international projects led in this field from the University of Valencia, such as the one that began seven years ago in the ancient spezieria of Santa Maria della Scala (Rome), and which currently has a new phase of research funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Photos © Aromas Itinerarium Salutis / Ph. Muy Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia

Historical pharmacies: a tool for connecting and promoting the territory

Finally, Miguel Álvarez Soaje and by Giuseppe Pandolfo, both members of the Steering Committee of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis, presented their Studies and proposals for the creation of regional itineraries promoting cultural, natural, slow and therefore sustainable tourism were also presented at the seminar, starting from the historic pharmacies.

Photos © Aromas Itinerarium Salutis

Closure and visit of the Muy Ilustre Colegio Oficial de farmacéuticos de Valencia

As a closing to the International Seminar, Ricardo Folgado Bisbal, member of the Muy Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia (MICOF) offered a visit to the Palace that host the seminar and the Pharmacy Collection that is housed inside, which, in addition to albarelos and scientific instruments, includes very old manuscripts on materia medica.

Photos © Aromas Itinerarium Salutis