Museums and art therapy: A bibliometric analysis of the potential of museum art therapy

Abstract

In this paper, the current promotion of art therapy in museum development and the potential value of the combination of museum and art therapy on mental health are explored. Individuals who usually evade any treatment may experience art therapy in a museum setting as a release from their suppressed emotions. Furthermore, art therapy may enable them to discover how to express themselves, thereby reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of social belonging, which may be unattainable in other healing settings. Moreover, this literature review afforded us a preliminary understanding of issues in museum education and art therapy, which require further examination, including implications for China’s museum art therapy in practice and future research directions.

Psychological Anxiety Intervention for Young Audiences: Effectiveness Evaluation of Art Museums

“…Art therapy has expanded beyond traditional settings into community and cultural institutions, reshaping the practice paradigms [20]. Museum art therapy, which integrates art appreciation, creation, and interpretation into the museum experience, has become a powerful tool for promoting wellbeing [4,21,22]. A variety of museum art therapy programs have been launched for diverse populations, including the elderly [23], hospitalized children [24], rebellious adolescents and their families [25], autistic children [26] and visually impaired people [27].…”

“…Jiang [28] conducted an international panoramic review of museum art therapy research, dividing it into three phases: start-up (before 2010), full-scale development (2011 to 2017), and deepening research (2018 to present). The growing field of museum therapy takes a collaborative effort from multidisciplinary professionals, including art therapists, educators, curators, teaching artists, and researchers [22,27].…”

Art therapy in Alzheimer’s disease. An opportunity of collaboration between intersectoral public and private organizations in the co-design of health and social care services

“…To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies on the consequences related to the collaboration of public and private organizations in the co-provision of health and social care services based on different reference sectors. For example, the promotion of art therapy in museum is extensively studied ( 45 – 47 ). However, the engaged public and/or private cultural organizations are considered exclusively as hosts of art therapy programs and are not integrated in the decision-making.…”

ExhibitXplorer: Enabling Personalized Content Delivery in Museums Using Contextual Geofencing and Artificial Intelligence

“…In addition to their educational and cultural role, museums offer therapeutic benefits that extend to mental health and well-being. For example, art therapy has gained recognition as a powerful tool for healing and self-expression [11]. Art therapy in a museum setting holds promise for relieving stress, anxiety, and trauma, offering a unique way to heal and express oneself [12].…”