Abstract
A growing number of museums includes the option to ‘smell’ living quarters (in medieval times, on a ship), urban environments (parks, streets), or, more vaguely, associations with ‘home’ (earth, flowers, cooking). Whatever the motivations: this tackles a much neglected sensory experience. These offerings are directed at the engagement of visitors and they benefit from group activities. My approach is focussed on three relatively new museums in Berlin/Germany: Deutschlandmuseum (providing a broad historical overview); Berlin Global (as part of the new Humboldt Forum) and Exile Museum Berlin (on the role of emigration and exile in Germany and beyond). My contribution questions the role of olfactory approaches to history in general and cities in particular, their potential (making history more real, providing shared experiences, stimulating discussion) but also their limitations when, for example, stereotypes come into play. Ultimately, this paper seeks to assess the role and benefits of ‘smells on display’.
Presenters
Ulrike ZitzlspergerAssociate Professor, Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies, University of Exeter, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Smell, Berlin, History
