A Monthly Update from The Olfactory Contractor
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.
From the Blog: This Month’s Writing
This month, I published several new posts exploring how scent can function as an intentional interpretive medium in cultural spaces.
The year began with a post reintroducing The Olfactory Contractor and the services I offer, alongside the launch of this newsletter. I am gradually moving away from Substack, so please note that future newsletters will soon not be posted there or on my website—subscribing ensures these updates land directly in your inbox. Subscribe to future newsletters here.
I also shared a more personal piece reflecting on a multisensory approach to processing grief, followed by the announcement of a new Internet of Senses Institute Podcast episode featuring Nezka Pfeifer, curator at the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.
Later in the month, I published Sensing Cultural Heritage: What is Olfactory Museology?, an educational post introducing key concepts in the field. This was followed by the launch of Notes from the Field: How Museums Use Olfactory Storytelling, a new blog series highlighting institutions already working with scent in thoughtful, practical ways. The first edition features a case study from the Mary Todd Lincoln House in Lexington, Kentucky, examining how scent was used in this historic house museum to help visitors imagine the smellscape of a lost neighborhood.
Updated Courses & Teaching: Collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network
I am excited to be collaborating again with the Fragrance Alliance Network on new classes! The Scent & Culture Series: An Intensive in Olfactory Storytelling is a series of online courses starting late February.
The three part series explores olfactory storytelling from three perspectives: foundational sensory theory, practical application and design in GLAM settings, and historical scent research and sourcing. Each module is standalone and can be taken à la carte, or combined as a full series for a more comprehensive learning experience.
If you are looking for a more concise introduction to the topic at a shorter time commitment, the Introduction to Olfactive Storytelling and Olfactory Museology (crash course) is still available and may be for you.
Find detailed information and links to register via my website.
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.
Warmly,
Sofia Collette Ehrich
Founder of the Olfactory Contractor
Questions? Interested in Learning More?
Do not hesitate to reach out via my contact page if you have questions. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to have olfactory storytelling tips and updates directly to your mailbox!
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.
