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.
I am gradually moving away from Substack, so please note that full future newsletters will soon not be posted there nor on my website—subscribing ensures these updates land directly in your inbox. Subscribe to future newsletters here.
New and Interesting Updates:
In March, The Olfactory Contractor headed to Maryland Center for History and Culture for the opening of Wayfinders: Making Sense of Our World—our very first collaborative exhibition. The trip was a full sensory sprint: leading a staff training on olfactory storytelling, fine-tuning the scent distribution design across the galleries, and even stepping into the role of “aroma jockey” to bring the scents to life in real time. Seeing visitors engage with history through smell, alongside sight, sound, and touch, was a powerful reminder of how transformative multisensory interpretation can be.
Wayfinders: Making Sense of Our World is a permanent exhibition and so it will be open indefinitely. I hope that you can travel to Baltimore to see and sniff it for yourself! The exhibition was also featured on multiple news outlets. I was interviewed on the BBC World news which you can listen to here and a feature on local news about the exhibition below:
This month, we shared a new episode of the Internet of Senses Institute Podcast. I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian Goeltzenleuchter, an interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of olfactory art, social engagement, and image making. In our conversation, we explore how scent can challenge institutional norms, disrupt expectations within gallery spaces, and invite audiences into a more embodied form of engagement with art. Access our interview here.
I also had the honor of being invited as a special critique for Sensory Disorientation and Olfactory Navigation: A Double Solo Exhibition of Song Yuan & Brian Goeltzenleuchter, which was installed at the Areté Space Beijing, China from April 4th to April 29th, 2026. You can read my full text titled, Challenging Sensory Expectations: Crossmodal Correspondences in Olfactory Art here.
Courses & Teaching: Collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network
I am excited to announce two upcoming online courses I’ll be teaching in collaboration with the Fragrance Alliance Network this May—both focused on how scent can be used as a powerful tool for storytelling in cultural heritage.
Introduction to Olfactory Storytelling & Olfactory Museology (Crash Course)
May 23 | 1:00–4:30 PM (EDT)
This all-encompassing and intensive crash course offers a strong foundation for how scent can support cultural interpretation and public engagement. We’ll cover cultural theories, ethical considerations, and practical design strategies—perfect for anyone looking for an accessible entry point into olfactory storytelling that wants not just practical tips but a theoretical framework for olfactory storytelling. Sign up here.
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.
Both courses are designed for museum professionals, educators, creatives, and anyone interested in multisensory storytelling. Both courses will be multisensory, including olfactory materials to help bring concepts to life. 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.
