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The experiences that make Greater Houston special are frequently discussed by Houstonians, and the majority of them involve events that appeal to particular senses.
The NASA rockets at Johnson Space Center are one example. At the rodeo, you hear a concert. The humidity is palpable. You sample our copious amounts of Tex-Mex.
However, our city is also characterized by certain scents. However, what are they?
An exhibit at the Color Factory’s Houston facility aims to accomplish that.
There is a lot to see visually at a museum devoted to color, as you might expect. These days, there are a lot of interactive, “immersive” attractions cropping up everywhere. And as you move from room to room taking in various interactive pieces, it’s bursting with vibrant colors.
However, it seeks to stimulate your senses, particularly your sense of smell. And as soon as you ascend the stairs in a mint-green-painted elevator, that becomes clear. A faint scent of mint welcomes you as the doors slide shut.
You enter the “Chromaroma Room” when the doors reopen, where thick, rainbow-colored stripes encircle the corner and guide you ahead.
Large, vividly colored circles are painted down the middle of the walls. Additionally, there are two six-inch-wide vents and a suggestion on each of those circles, which you are to sniff in an attempt to guess the scent. Many of those fragrances, such as bluebonnet, Shipley Do-Nuts, BBQ, and crawfish boil, are influenced by Houston.
Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty went to the Color Factory to see it and discuss how the attraction’s creative producer, Lorena Mendez, can evoke strong memories through smell.
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Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty experiences some of the smells of Houston at the Color Factory.
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A recreation of the smell of a crawfish boil is among several scents inspired by Houston that can be experienced in the Chromaroma Room at the Color Factory. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty/Houston Public Media)
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Scents replicating the aromas of a Shipley donut and a bluebonnet. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty/Houston Public Media)
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The smell of a margarita is one of several Houston-inspired scents visitors can experience at the Color Factory. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty/Houston Public Media)
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The Chromaroma Room at the Color Factory allows visitors to experience replications of numerous aromas, including several inspired by Houston. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty/Houston Public Media)
