The History of Pharmacy Museum at the University of Arizona in Tucson received the Upjohn Disneyland collection in 2006 from the California Museum of Science and Industry (now called the California Science Center). An exhibit was designed using old photographs and primary documents to recreate the original back-counter display as faithfully as possible while expanding it to be able to house more pieces. In 2021, the museum was renamed to Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and a new interpretive space was created for the collection.

While almost all of the Upjohn Disneyland items can be accounted for there are a few that remain a mystery. The pot-belly stove and the red Upjohn sign that hung atop the original case appear to have been lost However, for the latter a replica was made. This sign is absent in most of the original photographs, seemingly appearing only in in the Upjohn promotional postcard, so it may need have been a permanent installation. Disneyland kept the mortar-and-pestle-shaped stained glass lamp that hung on Main Street, but a replica hangs in the new gallery space.

Thanks to quality record-keeping, a great deal is known about many of the items. For example, the Wedgwood Hippocrates bust, circa 1800, is from Dr. Upjohn's personal collection, the giant balance is circa 1840, etc. Six of the lovely Tiffany lamps that hung from the ceiling were received and are being installed. With the help of a gentleman from Kalamazoo their provenance could be traced back to the late 1800's.

Perhaps the greatest remaining mystery is the whereabouts and original placements of the two large, colorful Majolica olive oil vats. They came from the Upjohn Disneyland collection because there are records of them being there, and because they were part of the accession from the California Science Center. Not known is where/who they came from originally, how old they are, or where they were within the original building. Even after browsing hundreds of photographs they cannot be found. It seems odd, because just about every other item can be found in the photos. Maybe someone out there knows.

The photos and information on this page were all provided by Stephen Hall, former Director and Heather Ingram, the current director of the Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, Arizona.

Learn more about the Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Healthcare Sciences