The John B. Pierce Laboratory

A Whiff of Art – Dr. Verhagen shares his take on a new Dutch exhibition

Dr. Justus Verhagen shares his take on a new Dutch exhibition that will showcase artwork that evoke the sense of smell in a recent article published by Smithsonian magazine.

“The sense of smell is tightly interwoven with the evolutionarily old limbic system of the brain by having direct access to structures like the amygdala, hippocampal complex, and cortex,” Dr. Verhagen says. “[Smells] are strongly involved in emotions and memories.”

The article talks about the impending opening of a new exhibition at the Dutch museum Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands. The exhibition entitled “Smell the Art: Fleeting–Scents in Colour,” will combine paintings with relevant experiences for the nose by including scent dispensers near the exhibits. Read more at Mauritshuis’ official website.