Researchers from UCL and Canterbury Christ Church University, with seven partner museums situated in central London and across Kent, investigated the value of museum encounters in social prescribing in the three-year AHRC-funded project comprising two phases. Phase 1 reviewed existing social prescribing schemes and Phase 2 set up the novel museums-based social prescribing scheme. Museums on Prescription connected 115 socially isolated and lonely older people referred through local authority social care and psychological services, and third sector organizations, to 10-week museum-based programmes of creative and co-productive activities.
Awards
Museums on Prescription won the Museums + Heritage Award for ‘Educational Initiative’ and two Royal Society of Public Health Awards, one for ‘Health & Wellbeing’ for ‘Arts and Health’ and a special commendation from Public Health England for ‘Sustainable Development’.
Read our review of social prescribing schemes: UCL Social Prescribing Review 2015
Read our practice guidance: Museums on Prescription: A guide to working with older people
