Olfactory Contractor Launches Its First Collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network
The Olfactory Contractor is thrilled to announce its very first collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network, debuting an online course that invites participants to explore scent as a powerful tool for cultural interpretation and public engagement.
This multisensory course introduces participants to the emerging practice of using scent to deepen connections with history, memory, and place. From designing immersive scent narratives to navigating the practicalities of risk management and accessibility, the class offers both theoretical grounding and hands-on exploration. This dynamic, nose-on lecture will inform how olfactory experiences can transform exhibitions, educational programs, and community events.
Class Description
FOUNDATIONS OF OLFACTORY MUSEOLOGY AND OLFACTORY STORYTELLING
Date and Time: Saturday, October 25 at 01:00 PM – 04:00 PM EST
Cost: $125
Instructor: Sofia Collette Ehrich
This multisensory course introduces participants to the practices and theories of using scent as a medium for cultural interpretation and public engagement. The lecture explores how olfactory experiences can be integrated into exhibitions, education, and public programming, with attention to event formats, scent design, storytelling techniques, accessibility, and risk management. Participants will learn how to thoughtfully incorporate scent into GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums), deepening audience connection, enhancing memory, and expanding inclusive, multisensory access to heritage topics.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the foundational theories and principles behind the anthropology of the senses and its role in cultural perception and interpretation.
- Master the benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations of incorporating scent into public-facing projects, including issues of accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and risk management.
- Analyze the use of scent in exhibitions, educational contexts, and public programming within GLAM (gallery, library, archive and museum) environments.
- Learn to Design a basic olfactory storytelling concept, integrating scent into a proposed exhibition, program, or interpretive format.
- Learn to Identify appropriate scent materials, delivery methods, and event formats suited for different interpretive goals and audiences.
- Critically reflect on case studies and real-world examples to develop an informed, thoughtful approach to olfactory engagement in practice.
Olfactory Materials: Participants will receive a short list of easy to find materials to purchase or pull from their kitchen cabinets in preparation for the course.
*Class time is in EST. Please adjust that time to your time zone for your scheduling purposes.
Why It Matters
Scent is uniquely tied to memory and emotion, making it an extraordinary medium for engaging audiences across cultures and abilities. By thoughtfully integrating fragrance into interpretive spaces, heritage professionals can create multisensory access that goes beyond sight and sound, inviting visitors to experience culture in profoundly personal ways.
Join Us
The Olfactory Contractor’s first collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network marks an exciting milestone in the growing field of olfactory engagement. Whether you’re a museum educator, an artist, or simply curious about the art and science of scent, this class offers an inspiring introduction to a new dimension of storytelling.
Register here and stay tuned for future classes and collaborations as the Olfactory Contractor continues to expand the possibilities of scent in the cultural landscape.
Interested in exploring a specific topic within the olfactory heritage field? Share your ideas through my contact form—I’ll gladly consider your suggestions for future classes!
