Olfactory Storytelling Toolkit: A ‘How-To’ Guide for Working with Smells in GLAMs and Heritage Institutions
Odeuropa | Launched November 2023
During my three years as the olfactory events manager for Odeuropa, I led the development of multiple projects. The Olfactory Storytelling Toolkit: A ‘How-To’ Guide for Working with Smells in GLAMs and Heritage Institutions was one of those projects. It is a first-of-its-kind publication and handbook designed to help cultural institutions harness the power of smell as a storytelling tool. It reimagines how we experience heritage by positioning scent as a legitimate, research-driven interpretive medium. The toolkit not only addresses the creative potential of olfactory storytelling but also the practical, ethical, and institutional challenges of working with scent in GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums).
As a contributor, producer and editor of the toolkit, I helped shape it in a way that balances theory and practice — making the case for why smell matters in heritage spaces and how to work with it effectively.
Structure & Content of the Toolkit
The toolkit walks cultural practitioners through the full process of creating a scent-based project—from identifying meaningful smells in collections, to working with perfumers, to designing scent-enhanced tours and exhibitions.
It draws from case studies developed by Odeuropa and its others, synthesizing the lessons learned from guided scent tours, workshops, and exhibitions across Europe. Our approach emphasizes inclusive, sensory-rich storytelling that centers lived experience and emotional engagement.
Supplementary Content
The toolkit also comes with 11 practical, downloadable resources. These resources—ranging from storyboard cards and odour keyword lists to scent design briefs, evaluation templates, and olfactory guided tour guidelines—help teams seamlessly design scent-rich experiences in cultural institutions. By providing ready-made forms and step-by-step support, these resources support interdisciplinary collaboration (curators, conservators, scent designers, and educators) and make it easier to create safe, meaningful, and effective olfactory storytelling experiences in public spaces.
The Case Studies illustrate how scent can be meaningfully and intentionally integrated into heritage and museum sites in practice. Featuring six diverse examples—from historical perfume reconstruction to interactive scent tours—they demonstrate the creative potential and practical considerations of working with smell. These case studies provide valuable insights into the methods, challenges, and impact of olfactory storytelling in cultural settings.
The Smell Manifestos feature visionary reflections from four experts—a neuroscientist, anthropologist, olfactory artist, and perfumer—who each preach the power of scent in culture and interpretation. Inspired by early 20th-century Futurist manifestos, these pieces offer bold declarations for embracing smell as a creative, educational, and transformative force. These Manifestos invite readers to rethink the impact of their sense of smell and embrace its inclusion in public space. They inspire new possibilities for olfactory storytelling in museums and beyond.
Why This Toolkit Matters
Smell has long been overlooked and excluded from museological practice. This toolkit challenges that paradigm—inviting curators, conservators, educators, and designers to think and contribute to the idea that smell is not a hazard, but an important part of our cultural heritage. This guide empowers institutions to create inclusive, multisensory experiences that are historically grounded, emotionally resonant, and accessible to a wider range of audiences.
Acknowledgements
The OST was originally published by ODEUROPA: Negotiating Olfactory and Sensory Experiences in Cultural Heritage Practice and Research.
Citation: Ehrich, Sofia Collette, et al. “The Olfactory Storytelling Toolkit: A ‘How-To’ Guide for
Working with Smells in Museums and Heritage Institutions”. Odeuropa, 2023.
https://odeuropa.eu/the-olfactory-storytelling-toolkit/.
The contents of Odeuropa’s, “Olfactory Storytelling Toolkit: A ‘How-To’ Guide for Working
with Smells in Museums and Heritage Institutions” and its related resources have been
permanently published by Odeuropa on zenodo.org.
