Can Looking at Art Make You Feel Better? A Deep Dive into the Science of Art Viewing, Health and Wellbeing

Alastair Hunt
7 hours ago
6 min read

In an age where stress and mental fatigue are daily struggles, a new systematic review sheds light on a surprisingly accessible remedy: simply looking at art. Researchers led by MacKenzie Trupp and colleagues examined nearly two decades of research to uncover whether viewing visual art - like paintings or sculptures in a museum, online, or in a hospital setting - an genuinely enhance well-being. The findings suggest a promising link, particularly for fostering a sense of meaning and personal growth.

As ever - our cautionary disclaimer - please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to all studies at bottom of page.

What Did the Study Look At?

The review, published in 2025, examined 38 studies involving over 6,800 participants from varied environments, including galleries, hospitals, labs and digital platforms - highlighting the flexibility of art viewing as a wellbeing tool. These studies focused on receptive art viewing - engaging with art by looking rather than creating - and its effect on different aspects of well-being: emotional states, stress and anxiety, life satisfaction, social connectedness and pain levels.

Critically, this review didn't just ask if art viewing helped but also explored how it might work. The researchers categorised the underlying mechanisms into five key themes: affective (emotions and pleasure), cognitive (attention and memory), social (connection and belonging), self-transformational (identity and reflection) and resilience (coping and restoration).

Eudemonic Wellbeing Stands Out

Among the various domains of well-being explored, eudemonic wellbeing - the sense that life is meaningful, purposeful and fulfilling - stood out as the most consistently improved outcome in the research. Every study that measured it reported positive effects following art viewing, regardless of whether participants engaged online or in person. Even brief interactions with art, such as a single museum visit or a few minutes spent viewing a painting, often sparked reflection, personal insight, and a deeper sense of self.

Emotional well-being, which includes improvements in mood and reductions in anxiety, showed more varied but still encouraging results. Around 57% of studies in this category reported significant benefits. For stress and physiological anxiety, including outcomes such as heart rate and cortisol levels, just over half of the studies found improvements. However, evaluative well-being (e.g. life satisfaction) and outcomes related to physical pain and social isolation were less frequently reported and showed less consistent support.

A major limitation across much of the research was methodological rigour. While some studies included control groups or randomised designs, many did not. Only 14 of the 38 reviewed studies used control conditions, and just six outcomes showed a significantly greater improvement in the art-viewing group compared to a matched alternative, such as watching sports or reading about art.

Notably, more than two-thirds of the interventions included accessory engagements alongside art viewing. These ranged from guided tours and educational talks to group discussions, writing exercises and even object handling in clinical settings. The review found that these additional elements often shaped the outcomes as much as the art itself. Social interaction and reflective engagement appear to be key ingredients for maximising the wellbeing effects of art.

How Does It Work?

According to the review, art viewing supports well-being through a range of interconnected psychological and social mechanisms:

Affective processes: Art evokes emotional responses - pleasure, awe, nostalgia, calm - that can enhance mood and reduce stress. These affective shifts often activate reward pathways in the brain, contributing to short-term emotional uplift.
Cognitive engagement: Looking at art stimulates memory, attention, and learning. It can prompt recall of personal experiences, spark curiosity, and offer mental stimulation- especially important for older adults or individuals with cognitive impairments.
Social connection: Experiencing or discussing art with others can foster a sense of belonging, reduce loneliness, and enhance interpersonal bonds. In group settings, shared interpretation and emotional expression play a key role.
Self-reflection and identity: Art often invites personal meaning-making. This can lead to greater self-awareness, the affirmation of one’s values, and a reassertion of identity - particularly beneficial for people navigating illness or life transitions.
Resilience and coping: In healthcare settings, art viewing has been linked to improved coping, reduced medication use, and increased mobility. It may offer a calming, non-verbal focus that supports emotional recovery or adaptation.

Practical Takeaways: Bringing Art into Your Life

If you’re curious to try this for yourself, here are some suggestions grounded in the research:

Visit a local museum or gallery: Even a single session of active viewing can yield benefits. Take your time, and let your attention settle on individual works.
Engage reflectively: Don’t just look - think. What memories, emotions, or thoughts does the piece bring up? This internal dialogue is one of the strongest drivers of eudemonic benefits.
Share the experience: Viewing art in a group, or simply talking about it with a friend, can enhance social well-being. Facilitated group settings, such as tours or discussions, were especially powerful in clinical and older adult populations.
Explore digital options: Online exhibitions and virtual museum tours can be effective too, particularly when you engage mindfully rather than passively scrolling. Some studies even used tablets sent to participants' homes to good effect.
Choose art that resonates: The most effective art is personal. Whether it’s an abstract installation or a classic landscape, what matters is how it makes you feel and think.

Singapore Art Science Museum — Singapore's Art Science Museum

Final Thoughts

This systematic review offers compelling evidence that art viewing isn’t just a leisure activity- it can be a meaningful and accessible tool to enhance mental well-being. While the strongest support lies in enhancing purpose and reflection, there are signs that emotional and stress-related benefits are possible, particularly when art is engaged with deeply and socially.

Follow museums, auction houses, galleries and critics on social media; there's always something to enjoy or to debate.

The research field is still evolving but the takeaway is clear: you don’t need to be an art historian or psychologist to visit Vienna's Albertina or Singapore's National Gallery! Just start by pausing in front of a painting, online or offline and see what thoughts or emotions arise. Your wellbeing might just thank you for it.

Changing your health for the better is about progress, not perfection, and even small changes can have a powerful and positive effect on health. For most people, improving health is about finding motivation and prioritising self-care - with an ultimate goal of taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps that fit into your unique lifestyle and circumstances, The Whole Health Practice is here to help.

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Stay Healthy,

Alastair

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