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Aftel Archive of Curious Scents, Berkeley, CA

Photo: Mx. Granger, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Museums

Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

A small Berkeley museum devoted to the history of natural perfume materials, with antique books, artifacts, and raw botanical ingredients.

1518-1/2 Walnut St. Berkeley, CA 94709 · Berkeley, CA

About Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

Housed in a cottage at the end of a brick driveway in Berkeley, this museum collects antique artifacts, century-old books, and natural aromatic materials tied to perfumery. Visitors can see and handle raw ingredients such as vetiver grass and benzoin resin, explore a cabinet of curiosities, and view a perfume organ. Inside, masks are required. A garden annex lets guests smell about fifty essences, including historical animal scents and an oud oil, without masks. Visits are timed, and advance online tickets are recommended because walk-ins are often turned away.

  • #perfume
  • #natural scents
  • #antiques
  • #botanical materials
  • #indoor

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