NOT TO BE SNIFFED AT

Not to be Sniffed At – An Aromatic History of Sauchiehall Street was a multisensory exhibition commissioned by Glasgow Life as part of the Animating Sauchiehall Street project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The commission brief was to develop a programme of events and activities designed to draw audiences back to this iconic Glasgow street. In reflecting on Sauchiehall Street’s history, the project team chose to focus on the often-overlooked role of smell in shaping our experience of place. The exhibition examined the deep connection between scent, memory, and emotion, exploring how smell can evoke powerful associations and bring the past to life.

  • Completion Date: 2025
  • Project Cost: £8000

The Project

In collaboration with perfumer Clara Weale, the Heritage Engagement Manager developed a selection of stories and sensory materials that revealed lesser-known aspects of Sauchiehall Street’s history. The project took a holistic approach, blending natural and cultural heritage, and combining tangible and intangible elements. Themes explored included the pre-industrial landscape, the historic role of horses in the city, historic perfumes and scents, the smells of a ‘night out’ and the evolution of air pollution. It even included a vintage 1950’s ‘Perfumatic’ vending machine for dispensing scents.

This multisensory approach extended into an accompanying talks, events and ‘sniffari’ walks programme, which brought together perspectives from environmental history, linguistics, memory studies, perfumery and fashion history. Smells often carry strong emotional and cultural associations, including narratives of decline. In this sense, it also encouraged visitors and participants to keep an open mind about smell, inviting them to question and reframe what is considered ‘good’ or ‘bad’ smells. 

The project offered an exciting opportunity to experiment with innovative ways of engaging the public with heritage. One of the most memorable aspects was observing how visitors responded to the sensory material. While some participants were initially hesitant, once encouraged to touch and smell the objects, their engagement deepened significantly. The experience shifted from a more traditional, passive form of exhibition viewing to an active, participatory experience, stimulating conversation, curiosity and the sharing of personal memories and stories.

‘Bog in a box’ – in reference to the early history of the street as a boggy, willow hollow.
A woman writing and drawing on a glass window.
Artist Fiona Fleming, working on the window display.
Exhibition displays with posters on the walls, flowers and objects in glass boxes.
Exhibition displays.
A large pink metal box with buttons.
The 1950s ‘Perfumatic’ perfume dispensing machine.
Children pointing.
Children at the ‘Smelly Sunday’ event.
Three adults and a child gathered around a table
Smell Sunday activities
A group of adults standing in a circle in a room looking at exhibition posters and displays.
Exhibition visitors
Books on a table with people in the background.
Smell library!
Burnt peat, coal, and a fragment of GSA timber from the 2014 fire.
A white wall with posters showing text and a photo of a man.
Exhibition displays – smell memories of Mitchell Library
A woman in a yellow jumper and two adults beside her with some schientific equipment in the foreground.
University of Glasgow using the EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure brainwaves in response to smells.
A pink noticeboard with lots of handwritten notes attached.
Exhibition feedback and smell memories.
A woman in a blue jacket leaning forward and sniffing a pink, metal 'perfumatic' scent dispenser.
Trying out the ‘Perfumatic’ scent dispenser.
People reading text and looking at pictures at an exhibition.
Exhibition opening event.
People in a large room looking at exhibition materials and chatting to each other.
Opening event for the exhibition.
‘Bog in a box’ – in reference to the early history of the street as a boggy, willow hollow.
A woman writing and drawing on a glass window.
Artist Fiona Fleming, working on the window display.
Exhibition displays with posters on the walls, flowers and objects in glass boxes.
Exhibition displays.
A large pink metal box with buttons.
The 1950s ‘Perfumatic’ perfume dispensing machine.
Children pointing.
Children at the ‘Smelly Sunday’ event.
Three adults and a child gathered around a table
Smell Sunday activities
A group of adults standing in a circle in a room looking at exhibition posters and displays.
Exhibition visitors
Books on a table with people in the background.
Smell library!
Burnt peat, coal, and a fragment of GSA timber from the 2014 fire.
A white wall with posters showing text and a photo of a man.
Exhibition displays – smell memories of Mitchell Library
A woman in a yellow jumper and two adults beside her with some schientific equipment in the foreground.
University of Glasgow using the EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure brainwaves in response to smells.
A pink noticeboard with lots of handwritten notes attached.
Exhibition feedback and smell memories.
A woman in a blue jacket leaning forward and sniffing a pink, metal 'perfumatic' scent dispenser.
Trying out the ‘Perfumatic’ scent dispenser.
People reading text and looking at pictures at an exhibition.
Exhibition opening event.
People in a large room looking at exhibition materials and chatting to each other.
Opening event for the exhibition.
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Project Team

  • Lead: Heritage Engagement Manager GBPT
  • Scent Designer: Clara Weale
  • Window Artist: Fiona Fleming
  • Delivery Partner: Dr Zara Gladman, Public & Community Engagement Manager, University of Glasgow (Smelly Sunday)

Funders

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