Visiting cultural sites is good for you. There is no doubt that it is good for all of us. But certain categories of visitors can benefit in a special way from observing works of art and taking part in activities held in sites of historical and archaeological importance, as these places are able to trigger new cognitive stimuli. In this regard, recent studies (see the 2018 conference held by the Fresco Parkinson Institute Italia) agree that those affected by Parkinson’s Disease are undoubtedly one such group of potential beneficiaries. The conference Salus per Artem (Health through Art), organized by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo for International Museum Day 2019, is therefore an occasion to discuss the fundamentals of art therapy and its specific effects in the field of Parkinson’s. Some of the leading figures in this new approach towards the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases will take the podium and share their thoughts with the participants.

The conference is a result of the urgent desire to make the Parco, in the words of International Museum Day 2019’s theme, a cultural HUB: an inclusive space, equipped to get also frail and disadvantaged categories of visitors involved, linked with firm bonds to the local community.

In keeping with this spirit, the Parco archeologico del Colosseo has taken steps on various fronts to guarantee accessibility for all visitors, as well as developing the rehabilitation project Park-in-PArCo, inaugurated in early 2019 in collaboration with the association Parkin Zone to help people with Parkinson’s.