Pinacoteca di Brera introduces olfactory tours of paintings

The Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan has launched a sensory initiative allowing visitors to smell scents associated with paintings in its collection. In collaboration with perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi, founder of Florence's Museo del Profumo, the museum has installed diffusers near Gaudenzio Ferrari's "Adorazione dei Magi" emitting notes of myrrh, and near Carlo Crivelli's "Madonna della Candeletta" offering the scent of Lilium candidum. Incense will soon be available. This multisensory approach builds on previous efforts like Brera/Musica concerts and tactile labels for Crivelli's fabrics, with plans to add a textile element for Hayez's "Il Bacio." The Museo Villoresi, opened in June 2019 in Florence's Via de' Bardi, features the Osmorama, a library of aromatic ingredients, and gardens with global plant species.