Six thousand years of perfume at the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo: the largest selection ever seen from the Storp Collection, historical fragrances reconstructed by Givaudan, and a video mapping experience to understand the history of glass
Until November 30, 2025, the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo hosts the exhibition A Journey through the History of Perfume. The Storp Collection, the most extensive selection ever presented from the Storp Collection, one of the world’s most important private collections. Throughout the tour, historical fragrances recreated by the fragrance house Givaudan allow visitors to rediscover the scents of Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, 16th-century Italy, and 18th-century Europe, bearing witness to the value of perfume across all civilizations through the millennia.
In the rooms of Palazzo Mocenigo, over five hundred perfume bottles lead us through six thousand years of history, proving the iconic importance of perfume containers in the evolution of society, described by Ferdinand Storp, collector and owner of the collection, as caskets of precious essences that continue to tell through the centuries what their contents once told.
The journey begins in the White Room, where the video mapping by Zignago Vetro offers a synesthetic experience in which images and soundscapes evoke the poetry of glass, celebrating it as the “liquid stone” guardian of essences. The Venetian company, a world leader in the glass container market, is committed to various projects aimed at enhancing the artistic heritage of the region.
Thanks to the master perfumers of the fragrance house Givaudan—Gaël Montero, Calice Becker, and Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillié—seven historical fragrances have been recreated from original recipes: a multi-sensory experience that allows one to “listen” with their sense of smell to Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, 16th-century Italy, and 18th-century Europe, rediscovering the sacred, cosmetic, and therapeutic value of perfume in every era.
The Storp Collection, started in 1911, now includes over three thousand pieces passed down through three generations of the Storp family, owners of Drom Fragrances (now part of Givaudan).
Produced by Mavive Parfums and Zignago Vetro with the support of Givaudan, and in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Heritage: Archaeology, Art History, Cinema and Music of the University of Padua, the exhibition was curated by representatives from all the involved organizations: Marco Vidal (CEO of Mavive), Chiara Squarcina (Scientific Director of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia), Luigi Zanini (curator of the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo), and professors Monica Baggio, Barbara Savy, and Massimo Vidale from the University of Padua.
A Journey through the History of Perfume. The Storp Collection
Until November 30
Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo
Study Centre for the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume
Santa Croce 1992
041 721798
mocenigo@fmcvenezia.it
Admission is included in the museum ticket.
Open until 6 PM, with extended hours until 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Mondays.
Article by Laura Scarpa. Photos courtesy of the press office.
