Odeuropa

What did the past smell like? What are the most significant 'smellmarks' of Europe? In this 'nose-on' lecture, by three researchers of the Odeuropa project, visitors can discover European smell culture. We will be 'learning by doing': by smelling historical scents, and discussing olfactory rituals and practices, we will discuss the significance of smell for our daily culture. 
 
Have you ever wondered about the importance of scents and smelling for our history and culture? Perhaps not, since olfaction is often overlooked as an important component of human culture. Smells are evaporative, we often do not notice them, or if we do, we struggle to find words to describe them. Yet odors and fragrances play an important role in our daily lives. The sense of smell affects our emotions and can evoke strong memories, functioning as a gateway to the past. In fact, the interest in smell, for fragrant products and for 'learning by smelling' are booming. Museums, heritage sites and the tourism industry are discovering that multisensory storytelling can attract new audiences. Smell can help us understand the past better and make it more accessible. But how do you describe smell, how do you capture such an ephemeral medium for scientific research, and how do you preserve it as heritage? 
 
The Odeuropa project was the first European research project committed to the research and innovation of smell heritage and history. The project developed AI models to capture the historical languages and stories of olfaction. This resulted in an online Smell Explorer which offers the opportunity to search through over four centuries of smell history. 
 
We invite you to a nose-on lecture to discover the cultural history of smell, and to explore the opportunities of working with olfactory storytelling for heritage and tourism.