Museum Ovartaci is home to two distinguished collections focused on the history of psychiatry, as well as an extensive and diverse art collection. The museum is deeply committed to social responsibility, both in principle and in practice. Over the past decade, it has undergone significant organizational and developmental transformation. Today, it operates as an independent institution, actively engaging with new challenges and opportunities for change.
At NEMO’s European Museum Conference 2025, Mia Lejsted Bonde will join the panel “Collective Care: Museums, communities, and the practice of wellbeing” on Monday, 27 October.
Presentation abstract:
A museum with a holistic social value approach
At Museum Ovartaci, the experience of art is united with insight into the human mind: We encourage interactive dialogue on today's relevant topics and society at large. The art, the historical perspective and the outlet in the individual history form the conceptual DNA for the museum. The museum is for people who are curious to know more about the human mind and the connection to and with art. It offers a special art experience, as art created of people with mental health challenges is the prevalent element in all our basic themes.
Inspired by Ovartaci, the central artist of our art collection, the museum runs two creative workshops: the Creative Workshops for adults and the Creative Ateliers for Children and Youngsters. These workshops are a unique space within the museum, offering creativity and social interaction for vulnerable people, citizens and psychiatric patients: a community-building space where you can exercise creative activities without questions about your mental disorders. Because our holistic social value approach is: we want to be a museum for everyone!
