The famous "Under the Black Eagle" Pharmacy-Museum on Rynok Square in Lviv will be restored. What will change

The premises, where the pharmacy has been operating continuously for over two centuries, have not been updated since Soviet times. Now, a large-scale restoration is planned, the exhibition will be updated, and accessibility will be arranged.

Аптека-музей "Під чорним орлом" — найдавніша з існуючих у Львові аптек, розташована у наріжному будинку, яким починаються вулиці Друкарська та Ставропігійська/ фото з Вікіпедії.

today at 12:48 PM

During a session of the Lviv City Council on May 18, deputies adopted a decree that initiates a large-scale renovation of the famous historic building with the "Under the Black Eagle" Pharmacy-Museum, located at 2 Drukarska Street (at the corner of Rynok Square).

The City Council granted consent to the tenant of the premises – the Communal Institution of the Lviv Regional Council "Historical and Local Lore Museum" – to carry out comprehensive restoration and repair works. This concerns non-residential premises with a total area of 522.6 sq. m, which are in communal ownership of the city, but have been rented by the regional museum since 2024 for the pharmacy-museum of the same name.

What exactly is planned to be done

Restoration and conservation: interior spaces will be restored and finished, authentic murals will be preserved, facades and individual decorative elements will be restored.

Interior renovation: windows and doors will be restored or partially replaced.

Utilities modernization: water supply, sewage, heating, ventilation, electrical networks, and fire alarm systems will be completely updated.

Inclusivity: space will be arranged for convenient access for people with limited mobility.

Infrastructure: the roof, internal gallery, and authentic courtyard of the historic building will be repaired.

What funds will be used for the renovation and will the museum be closed to visitors

The last major renovation of these premises was carried out during Soviet times. Head of the Property Management Department of the Lviv Regional Council, Andriy Bilous, spoke about the details of future works, financing, and the institution's operating format in a commentary to "Your City":

"The well-known pharmacy-museum on Rynok Square in Lviv is a property belonging to the Lviv City Council, but the activity there is carried out by the Communal Institution of the Lviv Regional Council "Historical and Local Lore Museum", which has a lease agreement. The pharmacy has been operating in this space for about three centuries without interruption. But now there is a need to update the exhibition and carry out the restoration of these premises using modern methods with the latest technologies. The project and cost documentation is ready, and tasks for the restorers have been developed, so the process will begin in the near future."

Востаннє ремонт у аптеці проводили ще у радянські часи

According to the head of the Historical and Local Lore Museum, Ihor Tymets, there is no exact final cost for the repair yet. Funding for works is planned from several sources: the museum's own funds, contributions from involved foreign partners, and funding from the regional budget.

Despite the scale of the work, the pharmacy-museum will not be closed to tourists and Lviv residents.

"The plan is to organize the process as conveniently as possible for visitors. There are different locations there – basements, the ground floor, the inner courtyard, and separate structures within the building. The space allows organizing the restoration in such a way that the pharmacy-museum continues to operate parallel to the repairs", added Andriy Bilous.

Recall that the "Under the Black Eagle" building (2 Drukarska Street) is an architectural monument of local significance. The pharmacy in this building was founded back in 1735 by military pharmacist Wilhelm Natorp and is considered the oldest existing pharmacy in Lviv. Since 1966, a unique museum complex has been operating here.