Smell the masterpieces - quite literally - at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s newest sensory experience

If you’ve ever wished you could smell a painting, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s latest collaboration makes that wish come true. The museum has teamed up with fragrance house Givaudan to create Art in Scents, a new way to experience art through your nose.

The experience takes ten iconic artworks from the museum’s collection (plus one scent inspired by the museum itself) and reimagines them as fragrances. Each scent tells a story, blending emotion, history, and imagination into something you can quite literally breathe in.

Running from the end of October, visitors can join a guided tour and pick up an Art in Scents booklet, where each page holds a micro-encapsulated fragrance linked to a specific artwork. Think of it as a scratch-and-sniff adventure, only elevated and very Louvre-chic.

The scents were crafted by Givaudan’s star perfumers Dalia Izem and Gaël Montero, who translated colour and texture into scent — transforming brushstrokes into aromas of myrrh, cocoa, incense, leather, and even burnt rice. Each one captures a moment, emotion, or place: from Egyptian temples to Parisian parlours.

There’s even a signature fragrance created just for Louvre Abu Dhabi, called A Universal Breeze. Inspired by the museum’s iconic dome, light, and seaside setting, it’s a fresh, airy mix of marine and mineral notes, with a soft trail of musk, amber, and sun-warmed florals. It’ll greet visitors as they enter the museum, setting the tone for a journey that connects nature, architecture, and art.

Here's an idea of what you can see and smell:

• Image of a Queen or a Goddess (Egyptian Civilisation, 360–282 BCE): a sacred blend of honey, myrrh and incense — the scent of devotion.

• The Cup of Chocolate (Renoir, 1877–78): cocoa and rose with a hint of powder — like sipping hot chocolate in silk gloves.

• Food for Thought (Maha Malluh, 2013): burnt rice and spices that carry the warmth of shared kitchens and memories.

• Chirisei Kyubiki (Kazuo Shiraga, 1960): raw beetroot and metal — bold, unfiltered, and alive.

Each fragrance is designed to trigger memory and emotion, turning the act of looking into something much more immersive.

On 25 October, Louvre Abu Dhabi will host an Art in Scents Talk featuring the perfumers behind the project, Dalia Izem, Gaël Montero, and Eugénie Briot. Expect insights into how an artwork becomes a fragrance, and maybe even a few scent surprises along the way.

For bookings and guided tour information, visit www.louvreabudhabi.ae.