CHICAGO, IL.- Luci Creative, a full-service museum master-planning and exhibit design firm, worked hand-in-hand with Jeffrey Sanfilippo and Rusty Hernandez to develop a high-end, thematic private art museum displaying more than 2,500 artifacts.

Luci Creative designed five major thematic galleries, each reflecting an era of history and evoking emotion and mystery through connecting art, stories, history, and the power of perfume. Each space, including the stairways and hallways, highlights various perfume-related artifacts.

Passageway
Visitors are transported to the Golden Age of Perfume as they stroll down this gallery inspired by the covered shopping arcades of Paris in the early 19th century. Artifacts are exhibited within elaborately themed window displays, each telling a story of the great perfume houses and their impact on the perfume industry.

Drug Store and Soda Fountain
Visitors step back in time as they explore the full original interior of this 19th century American drug store and soda fountain. Restored to its former glory, this room is brought to life with displays of period artifacts and memorabilia. Interactive experiences throughout the room give visitors a chance to explore the science of scent and the making of perfumes.

Deco Room
This gallery is true to the spirit of Art Deco, with artifacts showcasing the union of art and design throughout the 20th century. The iconic Lalique fountains of the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs served as the inspiration for this lavishly detailed gallery, from the design of the terrazzo floors to the authentic light fixtures and custom showpiece fountain artifact cases.

Vault
Visitors to this luxurious gallery know that they are seeing something special. The polished but minimal design of this dark room with focused lighting allows the artifacts to shine, highlighting the true treasures of the collection, including one of Napoleon’s perfume bottle and a cosmetic vessel from 1500 BC. Custom murals accompany these one-of-a-kind artifacts, painting a picture of the beauty of perfume throughout history ancient – to modern day and possibly beyond.

“This project really stands out from our other work. It’s one of the most theatrical projects we’ve had the opportunity to design,” said AJ Goehle, Executive Director at Luci Creative. “Our team pulled on our theater and set design backgrounds to create a sense of place and time within each gallery, going beyond simple replicas of building facades and artifacts.”

Luci Creative developed custom interactives using artifacts and authentic period equipment, adding new dimensions of sight, sound, and smell to the story. Visitors can test their senses by trying to identify raw materials by scent alone, or watch a vintage video of perfume being made in an early 1900s Mutoscope. An authentic perfume organ offers visitors the chance to create their own scent while learning the basics of perfume structure and composition.

“We wanted to create a space where each individual artifact can be celebrated, understood, and appreciated,” said Jeffrey Sanfilippo, Founder at Perfume Passage Foundation. “Luci Creative pushed this project beyond our wildest dreams. Their beautiful designs became fully immersive experiences around our artifacts, rather than just repositories for them.”

Perfume Passage provides perfume enthusiasts and bottle collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see very rare and meaningful artifacts. Additionally, the International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA) will store its archives and host events in the space.