Hospital visits bring the museum to patients
Hospital visits bring the museum to patients
25 July 2017
Museum visits facilitated by the charity are making a huge difference for patients on the Albert Ward, allowing them to learn, discuss and reminisce with others.The Wallace Collection’s ‘Out of the Frame’ programme delivers interactive workshops to older patients, bringing the museum experience to them.
Patients on the ward can face extended stays, which can leave the patients feeling lonely and, in some cases, delirious. The monthly visits, offering patients the chance to handle historical objects and explore famous paintings, help them to socialise and keep their minds active.
“We have lots of different themes and handling items in our collection”, said Sarah Fairbairn, Community Officer at the museum. “We take out paintings, photocopies people can keep, magnifying glasses, things to touch and smell and we have a conversation about the Wallace Collection.”
“I’m there for an hour so we can have a really nice conversation and get to know each over that time. People have a chance to get really engaged and we can go at a nice leisurely pace that suits them and be as inclusive as possible. If I leave and people are smiling, then I think it’s made a difference.”
One of the patients, Eve, is normally a regular visitor to galleries and museums. “It’s an hour extremely pleasantly spent, particularly if you’ve been here for quite a while”, she said. “It’s a complete change of scenery; it’s stimulating and gets you out of your own problems.”
The initiative is one of many arts projects that the charity has supported to benefit patients including craft workshops for dementia patients, art therapy for stroke patients and art workshops for those undergoing dialysis.
For more information about our engagement programme, click here.