Supporting Wellbeing at Museums - The ASBA project

Anxiety can cause significant mind-body changes that can affect psychological wellbeing and reduce the quality of life. The post-pandemic society in many countries suffers from a generalized increase in self-perceived stress and different anxiety disorders. However, active involvement in creative and cultural activities can help individuals and communities to overcome this situation. Museums can be seen as privileged locations where people can care for themselves, by cultivating both culture and psychosocial wellbeing. To address this significant issue, we designed the ASBA project, interdisciplinary and multi-methods research that intended to test the power of museums in supporting individual and community health. In this work, we present data on the first research cavity based on a museum-adapted mindfulness protocol. The hypothesis was that Mindfulness could allow visitors to establish a new way to explore museums and their collections, both promoting immersion and well-being. Seventy-nine volunteers participated in the study at two different museums in Milan, Italy. The analyses revealed that the mindfulness session was effective in reducing stress and anxiety levels, as well as in promoting positive social experiences. However, some individuals’ characteristics were found to modulate results, suggesting that the health-related effects of museums can be influenced by psychological and social variables. Our results support the idea that museums can play an important role in the health of visitors and that mindfulness can effectively support both visitors’ well-being and the enhancement of cultural heritage.