In the fragrance world, gourmand scents take inspiration from sweet treats and delicious indulgences – perfumes that smell good enough to eat. But what about the real desserts that inspired them? Where do they come from, and what do they mean to us?

After a decade of planning, the Kunstmuseum in the Hague is currently hosting a multi-sensory exhibit, Grand Dessert - The History of the Dessert, in a retrospective show that entertains, intrigues, delights and surprises – all calorie-free. Hundreds of objects - from tarte-shaped handbags to recipe books to baking tins and more - tell the story of our fascination with dessert. A dozen original fragrances created by perfumers at IFF, a global leader in biosciences, flavors and fragrances, tempt the visitor and spark engagement. I travelled to the Hague and the nearby IFF Center of Excellence in Hilversum to discover the recipe for success behind this unique collaboration.

Sweet Dream Are Made of This

When the Kunstmuseum first began planning this exhibition — a project ten years in the making — it quickly became clear that it would be its most ambitious yet. With countless objects, diverse lenders, and the challenge of presenting something visitors usually experience by eating, the team had to think beyond the visual.

Caro Verbeek, art historian, scent scientist and curator, was the driving force behind this sensory leap. She convinced curator Suzanne Lambooy and guest curator, author and tv personality Janny van der Heijden to bring the sense of smell into the galleries. “When you think about it, smelling was the closest thing to eating that we could offer the audience in a safe way in a museum of visual art. Since you can’t bring food into the galleries, using smell is a very convincing way of displaying desserts,” Caro explains.

At first, the idea was modest — perhaps three scents to complement the visual displays. But as the curators delved deeper into the global context, the concept blossomed into a dozen carefully selected desserts each telling a story from a different corner of the world.

Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate

Turning this idea into reality required a partner who could capture these scents authentically. For this, Caro turned to IFF — a longstanding accomplice in scent installations with whom she had worked to create the scents of Piet Mondrian’s studios* and to bring to olfactory life the Battle of Waterloo**, the epic painting by Jan Willem Pieneman which hangs in the Rijksmuseum. But the timeline was daunting: the entire collection of fragrances had to be created in just three weeks.

“We had a very hard deadline because you cannot delay the opening,” recalls Retta Nughrahani Herst, Scent Designer. Young perfumers were paired with senior mentors in a unique learning playground, giving them freedom to experiment and take risks outside of their day-to-day activities. Apprentices and veterans alike faced the same unusual challenge on equal footing, discovering and applying materials in a different way than done on commercial briefs.

Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards !!

Certain scents were particularly complex. Replicating the Apple Tart required balancing the volatility of apple with the warmth of pastry. The Old Cheese was one of the most challenging: on the one hand, perfumers aren’t accustomed to creating scents that aren’t beautiful, and on the other, because the ingredients to replicate the scent, such as fermented notes, aren’t readily available in the perfumer’s palette.

“We did a kind of literal translation of the dessert recipes to a fragrance, and that’s when we found that there were ingredients we didn’t have in our scent ingredients palette,” Retta explained. This is where the flavorists, who work on the other part of IFF business were invited to join/partner on this creative challenge. They were able to provide creative insight and make recommendations because ingredients they use are not always used in fragrances.

Unfamiliar ingredients like cassava and pandan, staples in some Asian desserts, were another challenge. Retta scoured specialty shops to source real ingredients, while the IFF team cooked, tasted and smelled each dessert to recreate its essence faithfully. Their diverse, multinational backgrounds proved invaluable — Bernardo, who is Argentine, instinctively knew the nuances of Dulce de Leche, while the Persian sweet, Bastani Sonati, required input from colleagues more familiar with those flavors.

The Proof is in the Pudding

Over and above creating the scents, it was essential to ensure that the fragrances behaved well once installed. A scent that works perfectly on a blotter might shift when diffused for weeks in a gallery setting. The team had to wrestle with technical questions regarding the installation: Does the formula stay constant or does it change? Have the top notes disappeared after a few months? How and when do we replenish? Will the smells conflict with each other? How much do they need to project?

Practical considerations extended to how the fragrances would be experienced. Liquids were out of the question, so the team used tiny scented beads sealed in glass flasks. The diffusers put the visitor in control: “The way the diffuser works, you invite people to do something — they pump, they sniff, they discuss, and then they smell again. I like this approach because, as the user, you are in charge,” says Caro.

Certainly the museum needs to be reassured that visitors will have a safe experience and that no one will go home with itchy eyes or skin because of the scents. This required close coordination to ensure the scents remained stable, safe and pleasant for visitors over the months-long run — which, due to its success, has now been extended.

The Icing on the Cake

Making these scents meaningful for everyone was essential. Inspiration also came from Harold McGee’s Nosedive, a book that delves into the history and science of scent. Clear, informative texts accompany each diffuser, explaining both the smell and its cultural context. Many visitors make a game of it, covering the texts then guessing the smells and comparing notes with friends.

Visitors are clearly intrigued, enlightened - and sometimes surprised. “I’ve watched people in the museum. Almost everyone tries the diffusers. Some smells, like the Old Cheese, surprise them — one out of three really enjoys it, two out of three are shocked, but in a good way,” says Caro.

In fact, you can’t imagine the exhibit without scent. Dessert is meant to be tasted, but smell is the next best thing — awakening memories, sparking conversation and satisfying curiosity – and cravings - in ways a visual display alone never could. The inclusion of scent provokes an awareness and triggers conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise.

For IFF’s team, this project has reconnected the perfumers with the roots of their craft — the joy of experimenting, the challenge of working with unexpected materials, and the freedom of pushing creative boundaries. “There is a certain pride in being able to say ‘my creation is in a museum,’” Bruno shares.

Looking back, everyone agrees on the key takeaway: involve scent designers as early as possible. Looking forward, Caro believes this project points to a bigger shift: “Museums are usually about seeing and reading, but I think the future is moving towards smelling and listening.”

This is a delightful exhibit that brings happiness and pure bliss to every visitor, regardless of age or background. Quite simply, the Grand Dessert shows how scent can transform the way we encounter art — adding layers of memory, emotion and discovery that transcend the white walls of the museum space. The exhibit runs through October 26th so there’s still time to plan your visit.

Here's a closing thought from Caro Verbeek: “You see more when you smell and you smell more when you see.”

For more information see:

Grand Dessert – The History of the Dessert | Kunstmuseum Den Haag

SEE ALSO:

* Mondrian & De Stijl | Kunstmuseum Den Haag

* https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/105628-001-A/gymnastique/

** Battle of Waterloo

Seeing by Smelling – How to Enhance the Experience for Blind and Low Sighted People in a Museum of ‘Visual’ Art - Odeuropa