Bohuslav Lavička Pharmaceutical and Medical Collection

Farmacevtsko-medicinska zbirka Bohuslava Lavičke

The Bohuslav Lavička Pharmaceutical and Medical Collection was proclaimed a cultural monument of national importance because of its enormous cultural, educational and scientific importance.

The collection was purchased from Bohuslav Lavička, a pharmacist of Czech descent, and consists of 402 books and 500 objects dating from the Antiquity to the 20th century. The Book Collection is especially notable for several incunabula and two pages from the Gutenberg Bible. The Object Collection, on the other hand, is famous for the prehistoric and antique surgical tools, and for ceramic and other type pharmaceutical accessories placed inside of two ancient pharmacies from the period between the 15th and the 19th century.

Also interesting is a small pharmaceutical cabinet originating from some monastic pharmacy in Tyrol and containing well-preserved “medicinal stuff” from the 16th century. What this collection proves is that the Slovenian spiritual tradition was deeply imbedded in the European cultural and above all scientific heritage.