"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," we've all heard that saying, but now get ready to hear: "A museum a week makes mental health peak." In that vein, in Belgium, psychiatrists will soon be able to write "free museum visits" on their patients' mental health prescriptions.
The results of a World Health Organization (WHO) research will be implemented with the pilot project, which started in the capital city of Brussels.
In WHO's research, it was revealed that visiting museums "reduces people's stress and makes life more meaningful."
Brussels city officials also emphasized that cultural activities are of great importance for mental health and stated that they implemented this practice as therapy support.
In this way, psychiatrists will be able to include free museum visits in their prescriptions, in addition to other elements, within the treatment plan of their patients. Thus, patients will be able to visit many museums in Brussels free of charge.
The pilot project will continue for six months. Each patient will be able to visit a museum five times during this period. Among the museums that can be visited are the Brussels City Museum, Fashion & Lace Museum, Sewer Museum, Garderobe MannekenPis which showcases the wardrobe of Manneken Pis a historical and iconic bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, and Modern Museum.
The project also aims to increase the access of low-income people to cultural activities.
