New Edinburgh escape room attraction uses 'historical smells' to combat Covid-19 challenges

It’s sure to take a few people by surprise…

But one new visitor attraction in Edinburgh is using authentic ‘historical smells’ to bring their surgical themed escape room to life.

Escape The Past has teamed up with scent company AromaPrime to concoct the pongs of the city’s past.

As well as creating a sense of realism, the hope is to fully immerse visitors in spite of Covid-19 safety measures such as wearing face masks, limiting group numbers and using hand sanitizer - to make it feel more like 1829 when the attraction’s story is based.

Historical smells are being used in the escape room.

For the attraction's first room, The Anatomist, a “clinical and sinister” aroma was designed by AromaPrime, which has previously created historical smells for the likes of the British Museum and The Edinburgh Dungeon.

Escape The Past's special concoction reflects the nearby old surgical district and Surgeon's Hall and the pong is piped into the room at relevant parts of the game.

The escape experience invites visitors to descend into the basement study of a 19th Century anatomist, and the aim is to work in a team to solve puzzles and complete tasks with the goal of escaping from the game in an hour.

Chris Wood, manager at Escape the Past, said: “With ‘The Anatomist’, we’re involving multiple senses, live acting and special effects to bring the story and this period of Edinburgh’s history to life. With everyone so isolated at the moment, these kinds of activities offer a safe and exciting opportunity for a much-needed escape.”

The aim is to create an immersive experience in spite of the Covid-19 measures.

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