The research that informs this report shows that we are anxious about our workload, our financial situations, health issues and social isolation, to name a few – and we struggle to find enough time to pursue activities that could
contribute to our wellbeing, such as visiting museums and galleries.

The results of two stages f research – a UK-wide representative survey, and
a qualitative social study in which participants were encouraged to visit museums and galleries once a week with a National Art Pass and keep a diary of their activities – suggest that engaging with the nation’s art collections more frequently can help improve our wellbeing. It is an
activity that can bring people together, and over time it can become part of an approach to life that people may find healthier and more balanced.

In the survey, those who say they regularly visit museums and galleries as part of their overall lifestyle choices tend to feel much more satisfied with
their lives, and in the social study, those who visit at least once a week report a range of benefits, from learning new things to finding space
to reflect.

Yet only 6% of us regularly take advantage of our national art collections.
While 51% of those surveyed say they would like to visit
museums and galleries more regularly – and 63% say they
have at some point visited specifically to ‘de-stress’ – only
6% of us actually visit at least once a month.

Overall, both the quantitative survey and the qualitative
social study suggest that museums and galleries are a
significant untapped resource at our disposal that can help
us achieve a greater sense of wellbeing when we take time
out for ourselves.