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Of our five senses, smell seems to preoccupy us the least. Yet more and more scientific research is probing the mysteries of our wondrous nose. The powers of our schnozz appear to play a vital role in our emotions and even in our cognitive development. How does olfactory memory function? Does the way our nose works tell us something about our brain? What are the economic issues of using certain odours in the business world? Explore your own sense of smell and you’ll be surprised and a little baffled by your nose and all it knows.Of our five senses, smell seems to preoccupy us the least. Yet more and more scientific research is probing the mysteries of our wondrous nose. The powers of our schnozz appear to play a vital role in our emotions and even in our cognitive development. How does olfactory memory function? Does the way our nose works tell us something about our brain? What are the economic issues of using certain odours in the business world?  Introduction This section consists of a self-supporting module that includes two large panels containing information and a list of words evoking smells. Zone 1: What’s That Smell? Odours can be elusive, unpredictable and even mysterious. What exactly is an odour anyway? How easily you recognize familiar odours may depend on the circumstances in which you smell them. Your experiences, culture and immediate surroundings combine to make your nose unique. Indeed, an odour you find pleasing might be considered offensive by somebody else. This zone includes two panel modules, three consoles presenting different odours, and a game with concealed information. Zone 2: What the Nose Know As so many English idioms prove, the nose is an emotional organ. What’s more, our nose can trigger memories. Indeed, smells can often bring back events buried in our past. Through smell, we can perceive the chemical nature of the world around us. Follow the path taken by an odour molecule inside a giant nose, and you’ll discover the astonishing powers of this detector of molecules. You’ll also learn that what we consider our sense of taste is, in fact, primarily our sense of smell. This part of the exhibit focuses on physiology, olfactory memory, and abnormalities related to smell and reveals the importance this sense plays in our daily lives. This zone consists of a giant model replicating the inside of the nose. Six vertical panels are placed on the outside of the model, accompanied by a game panel with a mirror and a basket containing masks of animal noses, a game console with covers to lift up, a console presenting odours, a game console with odours, and a puzzle console. The inside of the model accommodates several people and presents the back section of the nose, including all the physiological components found there for helping us smell and breathe. A series of doors to open, canvases to unroll, and two audio tapes, one with a lit-up diagram, provide a wealth of scientific information. Breathing sounds serve as a backdrop. Zone 3: Telling by Smelling Many animals use scent to communicate, to court their mates, to mark and defend their territory, to get their bearings, and to interact socially with other animals. But did you realize plants also communicate through specific odours? Discover some surprising examples of how odours are used as language. This zone consists of three modules that include 10 panels and six showcases displaying stuffed specimens (Atlantic salmon, domestic bees, a cedar waxwing, butterflies, a pine marten, a striped skunk and ants). Zone 4: Artful Aromas The perfume industry has been growing by leaps and bounds. Fragrances surround us, envelop us, comfort us. They also encourage us subconsciously to buy more. Consummate artistry and state-of-the-art technologies are required to create a fragrance. Discover new and age-old fragrances. Sniff a few intriguing blends of odours and try to differentiate a natural odour and its synthetic counterpart. This zone includes two self-supporting modules. The first features a panel introducing the zone. The second is an assembly of four structures that together form a partition made up of eight panels, four odour consoles, and two game consoles using odours. Conclusion: A Unique Take on the World Though unjustly ignored at times, our sense of smell is closely linked to our emotions, feelings and memory. In fact, this sense gives us a much more intimate awareness of the world that surrounds us. This module consists of a structure supporting the concluding panel and the panel of credits and thanks. |
