From its founding in 1941, the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy has prioritized the collection and preservation of historical material related to the history of pharmacy. Over the years, AIHP has acquired, maintained, and made available to researchers numerous important pharmaco-historical collections. AIHP still actively seeks donations of collections related to the history of pharmacy. Please see our donations page for more information about donating historical collections, artifacts, books, or other material to AIHP.
The AIHP welcomes researchers and interested members of the public to use the historical collections jointly held by the Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy.
The reading room is open by appointment only from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Thursday. Due to limited staff availability, we are not able to accommodate walk-in research visits. Appointments can be made by emailing the reference team at aihp@aihp.org. If you are not able to travel to the Institute, staff can provide up to thirty minutes of research free of charge. The allocation will reset every six weeks. If you require more in-depth distance research assistance, we can connect you with a proxy researcher who can conduct research on your behalf. Research requests can be made by emailing the reference team at aihp@aihp.org.
The Institute also provides reproduction services. For the full fee schedule, page limits, and reproduction policies, please click the link. The AIHP also provides members-only research services. The Institute’s reading room is open exclusively to AIHP members on Fridays, more in-depth and personalized research assistance from our archives staff. For our distance patrons, becoming a member means that your proxy research allocation is increased to one hour, with the allocation renewing each month, rather than every six weeks. Members also receive a discount on reproduction services. See the fee schedule for more details.
Researchers interested in reviewing the AIHP History of Pharmacy Archives Collection at the Wisconsin Historical Society, should directly contact the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
Some of AIHP’s historical and archival collections include:
To arrange a visit to see materials in the above collections, please email research@aihp.org.
The AIHP History of Pharmacy Archives Collection at the Wisconsin Historical Society contains the bulk of the manuscript and archival records collected over the years by AIHP. Available collections include the personal papers of prominent individuals like Robert P. Fischelis and Rufus Ashley Lyman and organizational records, including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention. See the full list of available collections.
The AIHP History of Pharmacy Archives Collection is not housed at the AIHP offices in Rennebohm Hall at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy Archives Collection is housed at and maintained by the Archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Researchers who wish to consult these materials must visit the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives (816 State Street) and make the necessary arrangements with the WHS Archives staff.
The American Institute of the History of Pharmacy is documenting and preserving pharmacy stories and experiences during the COVID-19 global pandemic for the benefit of future historians and scholars. We seek to record the effects of this public health emergency on all types of pharmacy experiences. We invite you to share your pharmacy stories, photos, videos, artifacts, and other documentation of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
You can participate in the AIHP COVID-19 Pandemic Pharmacy Historical Documentation Project either (1) by immediately sharing your thoughts/experiences and/or submitting digital materials or (2) by signifying your to intention to submit materials in the future. Please comply with all applicable local or state stay-at-home orders while self-documenting.
Please click the link below to learn more about participating in the AIHP COVID-19 Pandemic Pharmacy Historical Documentation Project.
Read MoreAccess the Pharmacy in History JSTOR Archive
All past issues of Pharmacy in History have been digitized and are text-searchable at JSTOR.
Note: Academic libraries seeking subscriptions to History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals should directly contact the University of Wisconsin Press.
Read MoreUpcoming events of interest to pharmacists and historians of pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, medicines, science, and related fields. (Event information current when posted.):
December 8-12, 2024: 2024 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, New Orleans, LA.
January 3-6, 2025: Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association, New York City, NY.
May 1-4, 2025: Annual Meeting of the American Association of the History of Medicine, Boston, MA.
May 13-16, 2025: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
July 19-22, 2025: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.