Stressed or Sick? This Swiss Town Prescribes Museum Visits as Art Therapy

Feeling weighed down by global issues? Experiencing workplace exhaustion? Looking for an additional boost to combat sickness or prepare for surgery? The quaint Swiss town of Neuchatel has introduced a unique healthcare approach: Residents can receive a doctor’s note allowing them to engage with art therapy at no cost.

As part of a new two-year trial initiative, local and regional administrations will cover the expenses for "museum prescriptions" dispensed by physicians who think their patients might gain therapeutic benefits from visiting one of the city’s four museums as part of their medical care.

The project relies on a The 2019 World Health Organization report That discovered the arts can enhance mental well-being, diminish the effects of trauma, and decrease the likelihood of cognitive deterioration, frailness, and "early death," along with several additional benefits.

Art has the power to soothe the mind—acting almost like a preventive health measure—and going to museums involves bodily movement such as rising from home and engaging in activities including walking and prolonged standing.

A council member from Neuchatel, Julie Courcier Delafontaine, mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic was also a factor in initiating this program. She stated, "The closures of cultural venues during the coronavirus lockdown made people realize how essential these spaces are for our well-being."

She mentioned that approximately 500 prescriptions have been handed out to physicians across the city so far, and the initiative’s expenses amount to "a minimal sum." The total allocated funds for this endeavor stand at ten thousand Swiss francs, equivalent to about $11,300.

If successful, local authorities could extend the initiative to encompass other art forms like theater or dance, according to Courcier Delafontaine. While Switzerland’s federal health insurance does not include "culture for therapeutic purposes," she expressed hope that it might do so someday should the outcomes prove sufficiently beneficial.

Marianne de Reynier Nevsky, the cultural outreach coordinator in the town of 46,000 inhabitants, who was involved in developing this initiative, mentioned that it expanded upon a comparable concept introduced at the Fine Arts Museum in Montreal, Canada, back in 2019.

She mentioned that various kinds of patients might find benefits.

"It might be someone dealing with depression, someone having difficulty walking, or someone suffering from a long-term illness," she mentioned close to an exhibit featuring a feather headdress from Papua New Guinea at the Ethnographic Museum of Neuchatel. This museum occupies a formerly private residence that offers views over Lake Neuchatel.

The concept partly involves encouraging stubborn patients to leave their homes and walk more often.

Dr. Marc-Olivier Sauvain, who leads the surgical department at the Neuchatel Hospital Network, mentioned that he has previously recommended museum visits to two patients as part of their preparation for an upcoming procedure to improve their overall condition.

He mentioned that a broader implementation is scheduled after establishing a control group. In his clinic, the emphasis will be on individuals who acknowledge having abandoned their routine of venturing outdoors. His aim is for these people to become more active.

It's unrealistic to believe that instructing patients to take a walk or go strolling to enhance their fitness levels prior to surgery will be effective," Sauvain stated during a video call on Saturday, dressed in blue scrub attire. "I feel these individuals would greatly benefit from museum prescriptions. This approach offers them an opportunity for both physical and mental stimulation.

And as a physician, it's truly delightful to recommend museum trips instead of prescribing medications or tests that patients dislike," he mentioned. "I inform them, 'This is a medical directive ordering you to visit one of our lovely city museums.'

Some visitors also recognize the benefits as well.

I believe this is an excellent concept," remarked Carla Fragniere Filliger, a poet and former educator, whilst visiting the ethnography museum. "Every single museum across the globe ought to have such recommendations!

Keaten works as a writer for the Associated Press.

This tale initially surfaced in Los Angeles Times .