A visit to the museum as a therapy to help address both the physical and mental ailments of their patients. The idea of Canadian doctors
From November 1 in Montreal, doctors can prescribe free museum visits as a form of therapy without side effects
Art therapy, that is art is good for you and then the doctor prescribes it. This is more or less the conclusion reached by the doctors of Montreal, Canada, who, together with the Museum of Fine Arts of the city, have come to the head that a therapy aimed above all at relieving suffering, without side effects, can be just a journey through the art collections of a museum.
With this intention, a real partnership was born, the first of its kind in the world, between the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) and an Association of Canadian French-speaking Doctors: since November, doctors have had the opportunity to prescribe visits to the museum like therapy to help address both the physical and mental ailments of their patients.
"A relaxing, revitalizing experience, a moment of respite", they swear by the museum, which will be possible thanks to thefree entry for the sick (Doctors will be able to register, in the initial phase of the project, the issuance of 50 prescriptions for a visit to the collections and exhibitions of the MMFA as a complement to the more traditional treatment options), who can also be accompanied by their relatives, according to some rules.
“The neutral, beautiful, inspiring space of a museum can raise mood, improve well-being and offer patients the opportunity to explore experiences and senses outside of their illness,” says Nathalie Bondil, the museum's general director.
Meanwhile, the museum already offers art therapy programs, has recently hired an art therapist, and is participating in clinical trials examining the impact of museum visits on people with various mental and physical health problems, from eating disorders to breast cancer.
A good initiative, don't you think? If it is true as it is true that art is good medicine and it is also very valid in the growth path of our little ones, why not take advantage of it too, who are full of splendid museum collections?
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Germana Carillo
