Elevating Storytelling Through Scent

Preserving, interpreting, and activating scent-based experiences for cultural impact.

About the Olfactory Contractor

Founded by Sofia Collette Ehrich, the Olfactory Contractor is a consulting practice dedicated to helping museums, cultural institutions, educators, and other professionals to harness the power of scent as a meaningful tool for storytelling and engagement.

With deep expertise in olfactory heritage, we serve as a vessel of knowledge—openly sharing about the preservation, interpretation, and activation of scent-based experiences as education within the cultural sector.

It brings together researchers, perfumers, museum educators, artists, and anyone curious about using scent as an experimental medium.

What we do

Strategic Training & Coaching

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One-on-one or team sessions to help professionals integrate scent intentionally
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Guidance on immersive exhibition design using olfactory elements
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Best practices for sourcing and using historical or culturally relevant scents
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Support around safety, accessibility, and inclusivity in public scent experiences

Lectures & Hands-On Workshops

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Engaging presentations on olfactory heritage and storytelling
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Hands-on, sensory-rich workshops tailored to your audience
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Custom content for educators, curators, and interdisciplinary teams
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Available both in-person and online

Scent-Driven Experience Design

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Concept development for exhibitions and programs using scent
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Creative direction and collaborative curation of scent-based installations
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Practical support for producing and implementing immersive experiences
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Emphasis on emotional connection, accessibility, and audience engagement

About Sofia Collette Ehrich

Sofia Collette Ehrich is an art historian, olfactory museologist, researcher, and podcast host. She is the founder of the Olfactory Contractor, a company that coaches and consults museum practitioners and others on the educational impact sensory storytelling has on the public.

She is also an active researcher who focuses on uncovering the best practices and challenges of implementing olfactory storytelling in museums. She contributed and grew her knowledge as the olfactory event manager of Odeuropa, a European funded project that advocated for smell as a valuable part of Europe’s cultural heritage. Within the project, she refined her expertise as the project manager and creative director for multiple olfactory related projects and public-facing deliverables.

She currently resides in the United States and speaks and consults internationally about multisensory curation in museums.

Areas of Expertise

  • Detecting the coinciding of art history and scent, otherwise known as raising an ‘olfactory gaze’ to art history.
  • International expert and trailblazer in the field of olfactory heritage, olfactory museology and olfactory storytelling.
  • Ability to apply and educate about olfactory museology with a deep focus on the educational and interpretive potential of scent within the context of cultural heritage.
  • Excellent research capabilities to investigate the best practices, challenges, and opportunities of integrating olfactory storytelling in the museum and other educational settings.
  • Expert consultant and coach, offering individualized support to institutions and professionals looking to implement scent-driven strategies and projects.
  • Dynamic speaker and educator who can lead engaging lectures and hands-on workshops, bringing theory and practice together for diverse audiences.
  • Designer and guest curator of scent-based experiences, creating immersive environments that connect visitors emotionally and intellectually with collections and narratives.
  • Expert podcast host and interviewee who can share insights and conversations about olfaction, olfactory heritage, sensory design, and cultural storytelling.
  • Can speak confidently about the basics of olfactory perception.
  • Known for collaborative spirit, creativity, and ability to transform abstract ideas into impactful, real-world experiences through scent.

Not sure if your inquiry is the right fit for my expertise?

Don’t hesitate to reach out – if I’m not the best person to help, I’ll do my best to connect you with someone in my network who is!
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