Summary
A museum in Japan is using the scent of horse manure to help visitors connect with the endangered Kiso horse. This unique approach is part of a program designed to make cultural heritage more personally relevant to visitors.
Key Facts
- The Nagoya University Museum in Japan uses the smell of horse manure to engage visitors with the Kiso horse.
- The Kiso horse is one of Japan's critically endangered native horse breeds.
- The museum uses a model called “Sense-Science-Significance” (S-S-S) to promote personal engagement with cultural heritage.
- The Kiso horse population declined due to breeding programs in the late 1800s aimed at producing taller military horses.
- A single stallion, escaped from castration, helped preserve the breed.
- The museum combined sensory experiences with scientific information to enhance visitor understanding.
- A survey found that visitors recognized the cultural importance of the Kiso horse but initially felt it was unrelated to their personal lives.
