Multisensory museum experiences, like smelling horse manure, foster deeper cultural heritage engagement
Original framing: “Why letting museum visitors smell horse manure might be good for conservation” — Phys.org
The story references research on multisensory cognition, indicating that olfactory cues like horse manure can enhance memory retention and emotional connection to artifacts. This scientific grounding lends credibility to the proposed museum interventions.
The article reveals that multisensory museum practices can repair historical alienation by drawing on scientific insights into embodied cognition while honoring Indigenous and marginalized ways of knowing.
A trickster inversion—smelling horse manure in a gallery—exposes the absurdity of visual exclusivity and opens space for artistic, spiritual, and cross‑cultural resonance. By embedding sensory standards, co‑creating with communities, and re‑imagining curatorial frameworks, museums can model inclusive futures that integrate history, science, and diverse cultural perspectives.