A museum for the nose in Kochi
At Jew Town in Mattancherry, there exists a quaint-looking museum that asks visitors to do more than see or read history — it invites them to inhale. Well, it’s museum of olfactory art.
On a sunny afternoon, a tourist steps into the building, his eyes tracing the walls etched with the history and varieties of perfumes. He pauses, thinking aloud, and describes the scent he has in mind — something woody yet fresh, layered with the brightness of fruits.
A staffer listens closely, reaches for small bottles lined on the shelves, and begins to measure, mix and stir. Within minutes, the fragrance is ready. The visitor tests it, smiles, and walks away carrying a scent created exclusively for him.
At SPR Perfume Museum, which has been drawing curious crowds amidst the Biennale buzz, fragrances are not merely displayed. They are understood, created, and personalised.
Marking 20 years, the museum is the brainchild of Abdul Rasheed, a chemistry researcher whose fascination with scents grew into a lifelong pursuit. “What began as an academic interest evolved into both a documentation of the global history of perfumes and a live practice of making them,” he says.
“Making perfumes is easy, but the real fragrance extraction process is quite complex and demanding. Perfumery is an art grounded firmly in science.”
Unlike conventional museums where objects sit behind glass, this space is an experience by itself. Aromas linger in the air as framed exhibits line the walls, each narrating the origin of a flower, bark, fruit, resin or seed, along with details of its oil, extraction process and historical use.
The collection is expansive — flower oils, wood oils, seed oils, bark oils and fragrance oils. Visitors don’t just learn how a scent smells, but where it comes from, how it is extracted, and how it has travelled through history.
Among the exhibits is myrrh, believed to be the oldest perfume known to humankind. Used by ancient civilisations, it stands as a reminder that fragrance has long been intertwined with ritual, healing and spirituality.
Chemistry meets creativity
What truly sets the museum apart is its live demonstration of perfume-making. Visitors who describe a fragrance they love — say, floral, woody or citrusy — can watch a customised perfume being created before their eyes.
“If someone describes the smell they like, we select and mix it here itself,” says Rasheed. While basic blends can be prepared in minutes, specialised formulations may take up to three days.
Perfume-making, he explains, cannot always be spontaneous. “It follows certain steps — formulas are tested, balanced and allowed to mature. Essential oils require a week after extraction to come into their aromatic form,” Rasheed explains.
Perfumes, Rasheed notes, come with their own jargon. “Eau de toilette contains 10 to 15 per cent perfume concentration, while Eau de parfum has 20 to 25 per cent, making it stronger and more intense. These are mixed with cologne bases before being packed,” he says.
Oud to Ramacham
Among the most prized ingredients is oud (agarwood), one of the costliest perfumes in the world, sourced from Assam. Agarwood trees take years to mature and develop aromatic resin only after a natural infection.
Closer home, Rasheed points to ramacham (vetiver). “Ramacham consumes more time among the locally crafted oils at the museum,” he explains, referring to the labour-intensive extraction process.
Though deeply rooted in Kerala, the museum sources raw materials from across the world — cinnamon from Sri Lanka, lavender from France, saffron from Kashmir, along with ingredients from several other regions.
Kerala-inspired perfumes blend traditional notes such as cardamom, ginger, pepper and lemongrass. While tourists tend to buy essential oils, customers within Kerala prefer perfumes. The museum houses 140 types of essential oils and 980 fragrance oils. Prices start from `500 for 10ml, with Arabic fragrances being the most expensive.
Rasheed, however, refuses to recommend signature fragrances. “My suggestion should not influence. Perfumes should purely be a personal choice. You will know from within what you want when the right scent hits you,” he smiles.
Inspiration from France, Greece, Uttar Pradesh
The museum’s structured storytelling — its text panels, visuals and framed displays — draws inspiration from a similar perfume museum in France. “I spent two years studying perfumery traditions across the globe,” says Rasheed.
“I camped in Greece, which is one of the top perfume-producing regions, and Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, known as the perfume capital of India. The experiences fuelled my passion for perfumes further. And that’s what made me eventually start this museum.”
Notably, the museum caters to aromatherapy, cosmetics and perfumery markets, and exports oils to Europe. “All the machinery required for the process is housed on-site, making the space both functional and educational,” says Rasheed. “Anyone with a love for fragrances is welcome