Experiencing well-being in museums
Museums are transforming from spaces for education into psychologically activating spacesthat can be designed for human flourishing. The social-psychological mixed-methodsresearch reported in three empirical chapters in this thesis explores how museum visits fostertwo types of well-being: hedonic (pleasure, enjoyment, and positive mood) and eudaimonic(reflection, meaning, and personal growth). The findings reveal that well-being is not just aninstant reaction to art but a process unfolding in three stages: before, during, and after a visit. Before entering, a visitor’s expectations and well-being set a pathway for their experience. During the visit, different museum designs trigger specific emotions. For example, at the Museum of Chocolate, visitors often experience joy and relaxation, which boosts hedonic well-being. In contrast, the Museum of Broken Relationships’ sad personal narratives trigger reflection, mixed emotions and social connectedness. This is important because positive emotions such as joy contribute to post-visit hedonic well-being, but negative emotions like sadness relate to post-visit eudaimonic well-being. Ultimately, by intentionally designing for well-being, museums can serve as powerful tools to help people enjoy and reflect on their lives.