Where smells become interpretation.
Researched-informed education, consulting and approaches to olfactory heritage, museum practice and public engagement.
Meet the
Olfactory Contractor
The Olfactory Contractor is a consultancy and educational platform advancing the fields of olfactory museology and olfactory heritage. Founded by Sofia Collette Ehrich, it sits at the intersection of academic research, museum practice, and the fragrance industry—translating interdisciplinary knowledge into methodologies, frameworks, and real-world applications for cultural institutions.
Through consulting, teaching, and collaborative projects, The Olfactory Contractor helps museums and heritage organizations integrate scent as a deliberate tool for interpretation, public engagement, and cultural understanding. Its work is grounded in the belief that scent is not a novelty or an atmospheric addition to exhibitions, but a legitimate medium through which history, memory, and culture can be interpreted and communicated.
Why Smells Belong in Museums
Towards new ways of understanding culture, history, and heritage
Smell is a Tool of Interpreation
Scent can serve as a powerful tool of interpretation, helping audiences engage with history, culture, and heritage through additional pathways of understanding.
Smell Supports Accessibility
Scent can support more accessible and inclusive forms of interpretation, helping cultural institutions engage audiences through multiple pathways of understanding.
Smell Connects People to Heritage
The smells of places, materials, and practices help communicate cultural significance across generations and communities.
Smell Reveals Hidden Histories
Many historical experiences, cultural practices, and sensory traditions cannot be fully understood through visual interpretation alone.
Smell Encourages Deeper Attention
Smell invites visitors to slow down, observe carefully, and consider cultural narratives from another perspective
Smell Preserves Cultural Knowledge
Smells associated with places, materials, and practices can carry valuable cultural knowledge that deserves documentation, interpretation, and preservation.
Trusted By Leading Cultural Voices
Ready to think differently about smell in museums?
Scent is not a decorative addition to interpretation: it is a medium through which history, memory, and culture are communicated.