Scientists from the University of Economics in Krakow (UEK) and the University of Ljubljana, in cooperation with historians and art conservators, will examine the smells of selected museum objects. They will also try to recreate them, and the entire process will be documented and used to create an ODOTHEKA, i.e. a library of fragrances for museum objects.

The analyzed works will include Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow.

-In many cases, exhibitions are equipped with audio elements, so we have an impact on the sense of hearing, of course, we use eyesight and, in many places, where it is possible to touch the three-dimensional model of the object. Now we want to add one more factor, i.e. the smell of the object. Within the project – we will ultimately recreate the scent of selected 5 objects and spray it at the place of their exhibition – said Dr Tomasz Sawoszczuk, UEK.

The project is financed under the WEAVE program by the Slovenian Research Agency and by the Polish National Science Center under the OPUS-LAB program.