The Pharmacy Ai do San Marchi in the Museum of Ca' Rezzonico in Venice

The Museum of Ca' Rezzonico in Venice is one of the most beautiful in the city. Situated in a fantastic palace on the Grand Canal and designed by Baldassarre Longhena, it boasts an interesting collection of works of art and objects related to the 18^th century Venetian period.

In addition to an impressive array of paintings and frescoes on the third floor you can also admire even an entire pharmacy that has been reconstructed.

Until 1908 the pharmacy was located in San Stin Square in Venice and most of the pharmacy's stock, earthenware pots and objects in the finest Murano glass date from the mid-18th century.

The pharmacy is composed of three main rooms, communicating with each other. The first, the shop itself, is equipped with elegant dark walnut furniture and shelves displaying 183 majolica decorated vases, designed to contain spices and necessary materials to the packaging of medicines. The second room contains the laboratory, with a fireplace and stove, as well as stills in thin glass, from the furnaces of Murano. The third and final setting is the back of the pharmacy, where the walls have been completely covered by a pine wood painted panelling, enriched with carved capitals and other decorative elements. Earthenware and glass as well as two large mortars, used to pulverize raw materials are displayed on the shelves.