The Apothecary

Before modern day pharmacies were as plentiful and easy to find as they are now, a person was reliant on their local Apothecary for all of their medicinal needs. The profession of Apothecary can be found as far back as 2600 BCE, and it spans many cultures. Much like physicians today, historical physicians would give medical advice, but they did not make medicines themselves. It was the Apothecaries of the day who studied Botany and Chemistry and who would make and sell medicines. Apothecaries were usually family run, which allowed women to play a major role in that profession.

This LEGO Apothecary is a tribute to those early pioneers of medicine who paved the way for all the life-saving pharmaceuticals and vaccines we have today. The set features a primary building - which is a store with a living space above it - hinged down the middle for easy access to the inside. The exterior features a large tree growing up the center of the house, a call-out to the natural world, the source of so many of our early medicines. The outside also includes a garden and a well, along with a walkway and lamppost in front of the shop.

The interior is two floors with a store on the first floor. The shop area contains a stove (with a small chimney to the outside), a work area, a counter with an elixir dispensary behind it, and multiple shelves that display products. A ladder will take you up to the second floor, which is a private area for the Apothecaries. A small hallway upstairs leads to a room with a bed, nightstand, and desk. However, there is a special bookshelf in the hallway that is actually hiding a secret door to another upstairs room! This hidden room contains some special supplies and the recipe book where the Apothecaries keep all of their family remedies.

I built this because I work in a modern day industry that gets its roots from Apothecaries of the past. I think this set will help educate people about the history of medicines and serve as a LEGO tribute to how far humanity has come in understanding the world around us.