The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents is a museum in Berkeley, California that has the world’s most comprehensive collection of perfumes. The exhibits are housed in an old Victorian-style home and visitors can smell samples from the library or explore different rooms to experience scents from all over the world.
Mandy Aftel has been making perfumes for almost 30 years. She gathers essences from around the world and blends them to put together a wide range of fragrances. Some essences are so rare that they have aged throughout decades, much like wine does.
If you love the smell of flowers, then this is the place for you. Aftel Archive of Curious Scents has a whole section dedicated to flower scents and smells. They have everything from lavender to roses, and they even have some fun fragrances like cotton candy or apple pie. You can browse through these scented treasures by category or just enjoy browsing all their products. The staff here is super friendly as well!
This museum is also a place to learn. Aftel Archive of Curious Scents has many educational events and workshops that are open to the public. They offer free tours on days when the library isn’t as busy, or you can book an appointment for a guided tour with one of their fragrance experts! If you’re someone who loves scents and combining them, this place will be beneficial to your being for the following reasons:
- You’ll be able to enjoy the satisfying smell of flowers all around.
- The staff is super friendly and patient with questions you may have about fragrances or products.
- For someone who doesn’t know much about this subject, there are workshops available as well as an educational display section that will allow them to learn everything they need to know before making a purchase.
- Unique and original – not your typical perfume store
- Large selection of scents to choose from
- Educational workshops that are open to the public
The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents is open for tours by appointment only but they offer free admission during their monthly First Friday event when you can enjoy live music, food trucks, and more. So if you’re looking for a unique gift idea or just want something new to spice up your home with some new smells, head over to Aftel Archive today!
Berkeley, California is blessed with some of the Bay Area’s most fantastic museums. Here’s a list of our favorites:
- Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
- Berkeley Natural History Museums
- Museum of Paleontology
- Essig Museum of Entomology Research
- Lawrence Hall of Science
- Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles
- Museum of Children’s Arts
All of these museums are located just a short distance from our location in downtown Berkeley, at 1935 Addison Street, Suite A!
