In the Swiss city of Neuchâtel, doctors have started treating depression, burnout, and chronic illnesses with free tickets to museums and the botanical garden. This is not a new art performance, but a serious pilot program. The project covered 500 people and is part of an initiative aimed at improving mental health.
Instead of relying on medication, participants are offered time for walking and spending time among artworks by artists such as Monet and Degas. Patricia Lemaun, one of the project’s initiators, believes that caring for emotions is a path to real recovery. As far back as 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrated that taking part in cultural life helps reduce stress and can even help fight chronic diseases.
The experiment was developed in response to the pandemic: during lockdowns, cultural institutions were closed, and many people felt that they had lost not just entertainment, but an entire part of life that helps cope with anxiety, uncertainty, and feelings of loneliness.
If the results are successful, the idea could be adopted in other cities. After all, health is not only about blood pressure and tests, but also about emotional balance. Perhaps insurance companies may start covering cultural visits, and a museum bench with a view of a painting could become a therapeutic “couch.”
