What We Covered in May: The Olfactory Contractor Monthly
Hello and Welcome,
If you are new here—thank you for joining The Olfactory Contractor. I am so glad you have joined this growing community of museum professionals, educators, artists, and researchers interested in scent, storytelling, and a multisensory approach to cultural heritage.
This newsletter is a space where I share recent writing, projects, and learning opportunities related to the Olfactory Contractor. Below is a short roundup of what I have been working on this month, along with an update on upcoming courses.
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New on the Blog
What is Olfactory Heritage? A visual guide: An educational post introducing the key concepts of olfactory museology. This one is in visual form and covers the definition of olfactory heritage, why it deserves to be recognised alongside other forms of cultural heritage, and how it connects to the work of interpretation in museums.
Looking at Art Through Scent No. 01 – Mary Magdalene and the Spikenard Jar: The first entry in this recurring series went live this month. This one a deep reading of Mary Magdalene’s jar of spikenard oil and what olfactory iconography adds to our understanding of this devotional painting.
Carl Philpott on the Science of Smell Loss – Internet of Senses Institute Podcast: This Internet of Senses Institute Podcast featured a conversation with Professor Carl Philpott, one of the UK’s leading olfaction researchers. We covered smell loss, COVID-19’s impact on the field, smell training as rehabilitation, and where research is heading.
Olfactory Distribution Design: From Interpretive Intent to Visitor Experience: A post introducing olfactory distribution design, a practice that sits between choosing a scent and a visitor actually experiencing it. The post covers the challenges, the key considerations, and some of the methods that I use in my own practice.
Make sure to follow The Olfactory Contractor on Instagram (@olfactorycontractor) to see more interesting content like what you see below!
Courses & Teaching: Collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network
On May 23rd, I taught my crash course Introduction to Olfactory Storytelling and Olfactory Museology. In case you missed it, keep an eye out for when I teach it again. You can still sign up for tomorrow’s course that I am teaching in collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network as well as our Using Smell in the Museum online speaker series on July 25th. Registration information below.
Designing with Scent: Olfactory Storytelling Practices for Cultural Heritage
May 30 | 1:00–4:00 PM (EDT)
This course goes deeper into application and design of olfactory events and experience. It focuses on how to design, implement, and evaluate scent-based experiences in exhibitions, education, and public programming. Through case studies and hands-on thinking, you’ll gain practical tools to confidently integrate scent into your own projects. Sign up here.
The course is designed for museum professionals, educators, creatives, and anyone interested in multisensory storytelling. If you are curious about working with scent—or want to take your practice further—please join us!
Using Smells in Museums: An International Themed Smell Day Online Event
July 25 | 12:00–3:00 PM (EDT)
Join us on July 25 for Using Smells in Museums: An International Themed Smell Day Online Event, a special global gathering in collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network. This three-hour online event brings together practitioners and enthusiasts from around the world to explore how scent can be used in museum and cultural heritage contexts. Through talks, discussions, and shared examples, we’ll look at the creative, practical, and interpretive possibilities of working with smell—while connecting with an international community interested in multisensory storytelling. Get your tickets here! All proceeds go to support the educational efforts of the Fragrance Alliance Network.
Thank you again for being here and for your interest in olfactory storytelling. I’m looking forward to sharing more writing, case studies, and course announcements with you next month.
Make sure you subscribe for future newsletters here.
Warmly,
Sofia Collette Ehrich
Founder, The Olfactory Contractor
Questions? Interested in Learning More?
Do not hesitate to reach out via my contact page if you have questions.
Interested in learning more? Check out my blog post on Recommended Smell Culture Resources to dive deeper into the world of olfactory museology and become familiar with more trailblazers of this field.
