ABSTRACT
To gain evidence of Psychotherapeutic Object Dynamics in exhibition settings, empricial research was necessitated to examine where and how objects play a clear role in psychological health in relationship to museum participation. The needs of the empirical research required a specific–and in some ways challenging–set of criteria. The objects involved in the museum collection or program of focus needed to be ordinary or mundane items that would be familiar, relatable, and open to subjective interpretation by participants. The first objective in identifying partner museums for empirical research was to identify places with pre-existing constituency relationships, where participation among internal staff and the external community is part of shaping programs and/or exhibitions. The themes offer insights about the shape and importance of museum participation and demonstrate that object engagement in museums significantly activates core factors in human development and experience as signified in the body of literature.
