Doctors in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, can now prescribe free museum visits to patients as part of an initiative aimed at improving mental and physical health, Euronews reports.
Stressed? Feeling tired? In need of a little boost of energy? If you live in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, you can get a doctor’s prescription for a free museum visit.
Under a new pilot project launched by local and regional authorities, doctors can now prescribe “museum visits” as part of a treatment plan. The initiative, which covers the cost of admission to any of the city’s four museums, aims to promote mental health and give patients a cultural respite.
The idea is not just about enjoying art, it is backed by scientific evidence.
A 2019 report from the World Health Organisation outlined the many mental health benefits of engaging in art. From reducing the effects of trauma to slowing cognitive decline, art therapy has been proven to have a positive impact on overall well-being.
“Art can help relax the mind, almost like preventative medicine,” said Julie Courcier Delafontaine, a Neuchâtel council member. “People realised during the Covid crisis, when cultural sites were closed, just how much we need these spaces to feel better”.
Since the programme was launched, around 500 prescriptions have been issued on a modest budget of 10,000 Swiss francs (approximately €10,460).
If successful, local authorities are considering expanding the programme to include other cultural activities such as theatre or dance. Although the Swiss national health system does not currently cover “culture as therapy,” Courcier Delafontaine hopes that it will be able to do so in the future.
Benefits for depression
Marianne de Reynier Nevsky, cultural mediation manager at Neuchâtel, was instrumental in setting up the programme, drawing inspiration from a similar initiative launched in Montreal in 2019.
She believes a wide variety of patients can benefit from the programme, from those suffering from depression to those with chronic illnesses or mobility issues.
“It could be a person with depression, a person who has trouble walking, a person with a chronic illness,” Nevsky explained. The key is encouraging patients to get out of the house, walk, and engage with their surroundings – even if it’s just for an hour in a museum.
Dr. Marc-Olivier Sauvain, head of surgery at the Neuchâtel hospital chain, has already prescribed museum visits for patients. For those preparing for surgery, it’s an opportunity to get exercise and activity before going under the knife. He believes more museum outreach will help get more patients moving.
“I think these patients will fully benefit from museum prescriptions,” Sauvain said. “It’s a chance to get both physical and intellectual exercise.”
And it’s not just doctors who are excited. Carla Fragniere Filliger, a retired teacher and poet, supported the idea during a recent visit to the Ethnographic Museum. “I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “There should be prescriptions for all the museums in the world!”
