Interviews From Our Community

Sofia Collette Ehrich is an international expert in the field of sensory storytelling within the cultural sector. She is the founder of the Olfactory Contractor, a company that coaches and consults museum practitioners and others on the educational impact sensory storytelling has on the public. With a background in art history and an affinity for research, she applies her skills as a podcast host and a curator of multisensory interventions in exhibitions, artistic experiences, and academic writing.

Ehrich has a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Master of Arts degree from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam in Comparative Arts and Media Studies. She dedicated her master thesis research to multisensory approaches in virtual and augmented reality environments.

She contributed and grew her knowledge as the olfactory event manager of Odeuropa, a European funded project that advocated for smell as a valuable part of Europe’s cultural heritage. Within the project, she was the project manager and creative director for multiple olfactory related projects and public-facing deliverables. Her accomplishments reflect her extensive research and development work, as well as successful collaboration with museum professionals, educators, perfumers, and researchers. In addition, she has been actively lecturing, training, and mentoring both professionals and students on the power of multisensory storytelling in public spaces and guiding them in the design and execution of their own immersive projects.

Her public appearances include platforms such as the Atlas Obscura, National Geographic, and NEZ Magazine. She was invited to speak at a variety of events and on multiple podcasts such as the American Historical Review’s HIstory in Focus, MuseumNext, and the Art Engager Podcast. She was also invited to participate on various judging panels, including that of the Art and Olfaction Awards and the SXSW Pitch event.

Today, she is an active researcher who continues to uncover the best practices and challenges of implementing olfactory storytelling in museums. She currently resides in the United States and teaches, speaks and shares her knowledge internationally.