SCENT AS INTERPRETATION: BUILDING A FOUNDATION IN OLFACTORY HERITAGE & MUSEOLOGY (ONLINE)

Museums have long interpreted history, culture, and place through objects, images, and text. But what can scent help visitors understand?

This online course introduces olfactory storytelling and olfactory museology, the practice of using scent as an interpretive medium in museums, cultural institutions, heritage sites, and public programming. Through case studies and real-world examples, participants will explore how scent can support interpretation, public engagement, and understanding, while developing a critical framework for its use in cultural contexts.

 What You Will Learn

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of olfactory storytelling and olfactory museology and their applications in museums and cultural heritage settings. The course explores the relationship between our senses, culture, memory, and meaning; introduces the foundations of olfactory heritage and olfactory museology; and examines how scent functions as a medium of interpretation. Participants will also consider accessibility, ethics, visitor choice, and practical approaches to developing olfactory interpretations. By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify opportunities for scent within exhibitions, educational programs, and public engagement initiatives and apply a framework for evaluating olfactory interpretation in practice.

Who This Class Is For

This course is open to anyone interested in museums, cultural heritage, interpretation, education, public engagement, storytelling, or the cultural significance of smell. No prior knowledge of museology, heritage practice, or perfumery is required.

Museum professionals, educators, designers, researchers, heritage practitioners, students, perfumers, and curious learners are all welcome. 

What to Expect

A content-rich online course that combines theory, research, and professional practice. Through museum and cultural heritage case studies, participants will examine how scent has been used to support interpretation and public understanding. Designed as a foundation-level course, it offers a deeper exploration than an introductory lecture while remaining accessible to those new to the subject.