Here's what the Magna Carta smells like

An incredible exhibit was set to open at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, England, last spring.

It was delayed, for obvious reasons, but Mental Floss has a consolation prize for us.

Instead of being able to smell the scientifically replicated aromas of eight famous (and old) books, as the “Sensational Books” exhibit aimed to do, you can read various descriptions of those imitation smells.

See what the Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s First Folio, the Dead Sea Scrolls and other books from throughout the ages smell like — and learn how researchers came up with the replicas — in Mental Floss.

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