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Sculpting a Longer Life

by Bruce Petrie Jr., Board of Trustees Chair, Cincinnati Art Museum

8/25/2026

art and wellness , art and science , SketchCAM

White marble sculpture of a woman in front of a window

Hiram Powers (American, 1805–1873), Eve Disconsolate, 1858-1860, marble, Gift of Nicholas Longworth, 1888.86

Dateline: August 18,2026

Could that Museum Visit Help You Live Longer?” is the headline of a recent online Wall Street Journal article by Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based positive psychiatrist. These words are music to our museum ears—and eyes. The Cincinnati Art Museum’s new strategic plan puts the wellness-power of art front and center. The evidence-based, pioneering science of neuroaesthetics is confirming what many museum enthusiasts have already experienced during a peaceful interlude with art:

  • lowered stress,
  • artful fun,
  • sparks of inspiration,
  • quality time with others, including friends, family, and kids.

Plus, at CAM, visiting is free. Free general admission. Free parking. Free to pursue wellness and longevity. Hard to beat a deal like that, right?

See you at the museum.