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Harnessing the Power of Museums

A Guide to Programs for Well-Being

Harnessing the Power of Museums cover

Harnessing the Power of Museums

A Guide to Programs for Well-Being

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Pre-order. Available 21 Jan 2027
$47.50 RRP $59.38 Website price saving $11.88 (20%)

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Description

Museums are uniquely positioned to foster well-being, empathy, reflection, and human connection. As cultural institutions respond to growing needs in health, education, accessibility, and community engagement, Harnessing the Power of Museums provides a practical, evidence-informed guide for designing, facilitating, adapting, and evaluating museum-based well-being programs across museums of all disciplines. Drawing on interdisciplinary collaborations and workshops serving more than 20,000 participants, the contributors share proven frameworks, case studies, and evaluation strategies refined through partnerships with museums, medical schools, universities, healthcare systems, and community organizations.
Grounded in narrative medicine, reflective practice, and the ARCC Framework, Harnessing the Power of Museums offers adaptable approaches for engaging museum visitors, educators, healthcare professionals, students, caregivers, and community members. Through practical tools and real-world examples, readers will discover how museums can become powerful spaces for curiosity, belonging, dialogue, resilience, and flourishing.

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  • WCAG v2.2 compliant

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Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface: Parallel and Overlapping Paths
Part I: Setting the Stage
Chapter 1: Off Kilter Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Jenna Grauman
Chapter 2: Defining Well-being John H. Falk
Chapter 3: Toolbox Lisa Abia-Smith and Elizabeth Lahti
Chapter 4: Attention, Reflection, Creation, Connection Framework and Workshop Structure Lisa Abia-Smith and Elizabeth Lahti
Chapter 5: Adaptation for Different Settings Lisa Abia-Smith and Elizabeth Lahti
Part II: Case Studies
Chapter 6: In the Museum Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Rosemarie Oakman
Chapter 7: In the Community Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Rosemarie Oakman
Chapter 8: In Healthcare by Lisa Abia-Smith and Elizabeth Lahti
Part III: Workshops
Chapter 9: Attention Elizabeth Lahti and Lisa Abia-Smith
Chapter 10: Grief Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Daren Todd
Chapter 11: Body Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Grace Haynes
Chapter 12: Memory Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Kelly Porter
Chapter 13: Laughter Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Steve Prince
Chapter 14: Healing Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Natalia Quinteros Casaverde
Chapter 15: Pain Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Stacy Brewster
Chapter 16: Masks Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Jamie Lawyer
Chapter 17: Transition Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Rebecca Thompson
Chapter 18: Beauty Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Nenette Luarca-Shoaf
Chapter 19: Growth Lisa Abia-Smith, Elizabeth Lahti, and Beth Redmond-Jones
Chapter 20: Place Lisa Abia-Smith and Elizabeth Lahti

Appendix
Bibliography
Index
About the Editors
About the Contributors

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published 21 Jan 2027
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Pages 224
ISBN 9781538198377
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Illustrations 22 full-colour illustrations
Series American Alliance of Museums
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Elizabeth Lahti

Elizabeth Lahti, MD, is a clinician educator and D…

Author

Lisa Abia-Smith

Lisa Abia-Smith is Chief Curator of Education at t…

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