Study Finds that Viewing Art Benefits the Nervous System

The recent research conducted by King’s College in London, in collaboration with the Courtauld Institute of Art, presents compelling findings about the health benefits of viewing original artworks. Their study suggests that museums and galleries can serve as “accessible, non-clinical spaces for preventive health promotion.” This research supports existing studies that show viewing original art, as opposed to reproductions, induces more substantial physiological responses, such as lowering cortisol levels and positively affecting the nervous system.

Fifty adults participated in the study, which involved viewing either authentic paintings or high-quality reproductions. Participants’ heart rates, skin temperatures, and saliva samples were monitored to measure their physiological responses. The selected paintings were notable late 19th-century works by European artists, such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, Van Gogh, and Gauguin, from the Courtauld’s collection.

Results revealed that those viewing original art experienced a more significant decrease in cortisol levels, indicating reduced stress, as well as higher heart rate variability patterns, reflecting a more adaptable nervous system. Additionally, this group showed a measurable drop in certain inflammatory proteins.

This study emphasizes the potential of museum visits to reduce anxiety and stimulate cognitive and emotional responses, suggesting that authentic art experiences can promote health benefits similar to those achieved through exercise or meditation. Thus, museums and galleries emerge as valuable contexts for fostering mental and physical well-being.