Walking Through a Museum, Moving Toward Health: Integrating Art into Public Health System for Older Adults

We recently demonstrated that a single physician-prescribed visit to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Quebec, Canada) may lead to significant improvements in patient mental health [1]. Conducted with patients from both primary and secondary care, this pilot trial showed notable well-being and quality of life benefits, especially among those facing acute illness or reporting unhappiness. These findings suggest that when integrated into clinical care pathways, museum visits may serve as meaningful interventions to support mental health of community-dwelling patients. They reinforce the growing recognition of cultural institutions, such as museums, as proactive partners in public health [2]. They also underscore the pressing need for further research, particularly randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies to confirm the health benefits of museum-based art activities [2,3]. Additionally, a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which these activities exert their effects is essential to guide future interventions and policy [4]. Thus, our promising preliminary findings raise important questions about museum prescriptions and how operationalized them within healthcare systems. To better understand the scope and impact of such interventions, it is essential to examine how our approach compares to existing art-based health strategies, and what specific value it adds to the field. 

What our study adds to the Field - Our study stands out by moving beyond the predominant emphasis on medium-term participatory art interventions, which most often evaluate health outcomes after only several weeks or a few months [2]. Instead, it evaluates the impact of a single, self-guided museum visit prescribed by a physician as a stand-alone therapeutic act [1]. Despite its brevity and passive format, the intervention yielded measurable psychological benefits (i.e., well-being and quality of life), underscoring its relevance for healthcare systems in search of scalable and accessible solutions [3]. By embedding the museum experience directly within medical practice, our study demonstrates not only the feasibility but also the effectiveness of prescribing art as part of standard care. It marks a significant shift from symbolic collaborations between culture and health to operational evidence-based integration. This shift aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s call for governments to adopt an intersectoral approach, both within and across traditional policy domains, to fully harness the potential of the arts in promoting public health [2]. Importantly, our findings revealed immediate post-visit benefits, highlighting the potential of this model as a timely and accessible intervention for patients facing acute distress or symptoms of burnout [1]. It also expands the reach of art-based interventions to populations often underrepresented in such initiatives [2-4]. Above all, this research reinforces the idea that even a single exposure to art in a museum setting can produce clinically meaningful health outcomes, positioning museums not merely as sites of cultural engagement, but as frontline agents of public health and mental health of population [2,5]. The burden of mental illness continues to rise and represents a major public health challenge in high-income countries such as Canada [6,7]. In 2022 alone, an estimated 5 million Canadians, approximately 18% of the population, met the diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder [7]. Accordingly, promoting the positive dimensions of mental health, including psychological well-being and quality of life, is more important than ever. This focus is crucial not only because fostering well-being may help prevent the onset of mental disorders, but also because it can mitigate their severity in those already affected. Moreover, mental health promotion, particularly through arts and cultural initiatives, has the potential to reduce healthcare costs by decreasing reliance on clinical services [2,3]. 

Museums as health promoters: a global shift in perspective - Over the past decade, the notion that art and culture, especially museum-based activities, may positively impact health has gained momentum in the scientific literature [2,4]. Museums, once considered primarily as custodians of heritage, are now emerging as key allies in promoting active and healthy aging [2]. This transformation is supported by a growing body of international research [2]. Published studies converge in demonstrating the tangible impact of museum-based art activities on mental health, but also on physical health like frailty and social isolation among older adults [8-17]. For example, our research focusing on older adults has consistently demonstrated that participation in museum-based artistic activities, from guided tours to creative workshops, yields significant and lasting health benefits [1,7-19].Trials conducted in Canada, Japan, and Singapore demonstrated improvements in mental health in up to 80% of participants, with reduced anxiety and depression and increased subjective well-being [10,12,15]. Frailty scores decrease in 60% to 70% of cases, with benefits lasting up to a year [5-18]. Social isolation is markedly reduced, while light to moderate physical activity increases, supported by the movement required during museum visits and active involvement in programming [2,10-12]. These findings are echoed across cultures and validated by the WHO’s review, which concluded that the arts including museums art-based activities, may enhance mental health, foster social cohesion, support cognitive function and prevent decline [2]. 

Innovating museum prescriptions: methodological advances and future directions - Our research introduces several methodological innovations. Multicenter randomized controlled trials across continents have demonstrated the consistency of outcomes [10,12,15]. Virtual modalities, shown to offer benefits comparable to in-person visits, expand accessibility for those who are isolated or mobility-limited [14]. Long-term follow-ups help assess the durability of effects, while qualitative analyses identify critical success factors such as accessibility, regularity, cultural relevance and active engagement [16]. Importantly, we have also explored the integration of museum visits into healthcare through social prescribing, with encouraging results in real-world primary care settings [1]. International literature further supports and complements our findings. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that museum attendance and arts engagement are associated with reduced depression and social isolation, regardless of cultural context [2,19,20]. Earlier work by Cohen et al., and Castora-Binkley et al., also showed that creative aging programs reduce frailty and slow functional decline [21,22]. Our work builds on this by examining virtual delivery models, short and long-term outcomes and the equity of access, all crucial for scalable public health applications. As emphasized in WHO guidance, several priorities now stand out [2]. Standardizing research protocols will support international comparison and meta-analysis. Real-world implementation studies, developed in collaboration with museums and health systems, are necessary to evaluate feasibility and impact. Investigating the underlying mechanisms, from biological to social aspects, will sharpen the effectiveness of interventions. At the policy level, integrating arts and culture into healthcare delivery requires stronger intersectoral collaboration and the expansion of social prescribing. To ensure equitable access, flexible delivery formats and population-specific approaches must be developed and tested. 

The “art” of healthy Aging: from research to systemic Transformation - There is now compelling evidence to integrate museum-based art activities into strategies that address pathological aging, mental health, and social isolation. We call for bridges between culture, healthcare and public policy, to transform scientific knowledge into effective and inclusive action. The WHO echoes this, urging institutional recognition of the arts as a pillar of public health [2]. The time has come to move from evidence to implementation. This growing body of work signals a quiet but profound revolution: a model of aging that is active, inclusive and creatively engaged, where museums are not just venues of cultural appreciation but central actors in care and prevention. The scientific foundation is solid. Now, it falls to researchers, healthcare providers, cultural institutions and policymakers to build the systems and partnerships that will embed the arts into the future of healthy aging.

Not applicable.

The author gratefully acknowledges the support of the Research Chair in Creative Economy & Well-Being, funded by the « Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture » (FRQSC).

The author declares no conflict of interest.

The author gave his approval of the final manuscript and for publication.

Not applicable.

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