An adventurous life at sea led her to sail around the world four times and survive the treacherous storms of Cape Horn 15 times before being discovered abandoned in a Spanish port in the early 1990s, facing the threat of being dismantled.
Today, the Tall Ship Glenlee stands proudly as a prominent feature of the Glasgow skyline, moored beside the Riverside Museum on the River Clyde. This 127-year-old former merchant sailing vessel is one of only five remaining Clyde-built steel sailing ships still afloat, and the sole one in the UK. It offers a unique space for exploration, education, heritage, and entertainment in Glasgow.
Recently, the living museum has introduced an innovative upgrade that allows visitors to control the scents they experience during their visit. Thanks to funding secured from Museums Galleries Scotland’s Museum Development Fund in 2022, the Tall Ship Glenlee was able to enhance its signage, interpretation, and sensory offerings.
In collaboration with aroma experts from AromaPrime, the museum’s team identified seven key areas where scents could enhance the historical experience, bringing the past to life in a tangible and personal manner. These scents range from old-fashioned soap in the captain’s bathroom to tobacco and alcohol in the captain’s saloon, creating an immersive ambiance for visitors.
What sets the Tall Ship Glenlee apart is the specially designed system that allows visitors to trigger these scents in the historical rooms at the touch of a button. This interactive feature, designed and installed by the museum’s team with input from AromaPrime, adds a new dimension to the visitor experience.
Liam R. Findlay, historical scenting consultant at AromaPrime, praises the museum’s unique approach to scent-triggering, noting that it is a groundbreaking initiative in the museum sector. By giving visitors the agency to choose whether to engage with the scents, the museum encourages a deeper exploration of the historical settings they represent.
Lauren Henning, Learning and Museum Manager at the Tall Ship Glenlee, sheds light on the thought process behind the multisensory upgrade. Sustainability and accessibility, especially for those with sensory sensitivities, were paramount considerations in managing the scents. The team developed a system to control the timing of scent release, ensuring visitor comfort and preventing overpowering smells.
With guidance from AromaPrime, the team selected scents that would enhance the overall experience without necessitating complete accuracy. Visual and auditory cues, in addition to scents, play a role in shaping visitors’ perceptions of each historical setting. The installation of the multisensory interpretation was a collaborative effort, with each space being fine-tuned to optimize scent duration and placement.
As visitors explore the Tall Ship Glenlee, they can now immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and scents of life at sea, gaining a deeper appreciation for the ship’s rich history and the challenges faced by its crew. This innovative upgrade marks a significant step towards offering a more engaging and interactive museum experience for all who visit.