Museums and Well-being
26.09.2025
Regenerative, Projects, Ideas
Can museums, as places of learning, memory, and trust, serve as catalysts for promoting well-being in individuals and communities?
This question lies at the heart of a poster presented at the 2024 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting, themed “Thriving Museums, Healthy Communities.” Developed by Barker Langham, the poster explores how museums can help address some of today’s most pressing health challenges—from isolation and anxiety to the long-term effects of a digital-first world. It reframes the museum as a kind of medicine: a space that invites reflection, nurtures connection, and fosters emotional and physical well-being through storytelling, encounter, and care. Rather than offering fixed answers, the poster encourages open, empathetic dialogue about the role of cultural institutions in supporting both individual and societal health. By presenting the museum visit as a ‘prescription,’ it challenges us to think differently about impact—placing compassion, healing, and collective action at the centre of museum practice.
