The Human Condition: Health, Wellness, & Emotional Connection in Museums

Abstract This Forum article examines how the museum field has addressed illness, disability, death, and overall health with a variety of techniques. Using the Curator archive, the authors trace the evolution of dialogue about health and wellness in museums, both for visitors and staff. The authors frame the importance of these universal topics as issues of equity and inclusion with the belief that museums can utilize them to build emotional connections and spur action for social justice.