Swiss Doctors Are Prescribing Museum Visits for ‘Art Therapy’

A doctor’s note can get you into a museum in the Swiss town of Neuchâtel now that local doctors can prescribe art therapy to patients.

As a part of a treatment plan to improve mental health, town authorities are letting doctors direct patients to one of Neuchâtel’s four museums. And, medically speaking, it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.

Art therapy is considered a legitimate treatment for a range of mental health issues, though, of course, looking at a few paintings on a leisurely afternoon isn’t the silver bullet that’s going to kill your depression. It’s a pleasant, soothing experience that can help you manage your symptoms.

The World Health Organization has touted the benefits of engaging with the arts to reduce the impact of trauma and cognitive decline.

Is Art Therapy a Real Thing?

So far, the program has prescribed 500 visits to local museums, with more on the way. If it proves successful, local authorities might expand the program to include more than a stroll through the museum by expanding it to include trips to the theater and dancing.

Euronews spoke with Dr. Marc-Olivier Sauvain, the head of surgery at the Neuchâtel Hospital Network, who says he has prescribed museum visits to patients in the lead-up to surgery to get them to relax a little bit in the lead-up to their procedures.

Probably the biggest benefit to the program will be giving people a reason to get out of the house and do something interesting that introduces a bit of beauty into their gloomy lives.

Again, it’s not a cure, but it’s a nice way to get moving and to find a little beauty in an otherwise dreary world.