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 mea...