Beatriz Lindemann ’25 • October 15, 2025

The first thing I did after finishing my Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics exam my junior year of high school was drive to my local art museum with my best friend. After a tumultuous three-hour ordeal, we needed to look at some art. We wandered through the wings, talking about our favorite paintings in each room. This isn’t an uncommon activity for me: I visit museums in almost every city I travel to. As Brown students, we have access to world-class collections just a few steps down College Hill, and we should take every advantage of this resource. Museums are meant for young people, not just experts of the art world. These spaces allow us to slow down and encourage us to connect with ourselves in an overstimulating world, while also preserving the pillars of our cultural richness. Engaging with art means making connections to our own experiences — everyone reacts to art differently, precisely why dialogue surrounding it is invaluable. 

While balancing classes, extracurriculars and a social life, students are subjected to the hustle and bustle of our rigorous university life. We have a lot going on. While museums teach us about history and culture, they also offer us exactly what we need as college students — a break. This does not mean an excuse to scroll TikTok or Instagram. Instead, this means a change of pace to observe our surroundings and connect with ourselves. 

The physicality is grounding, forcing us to be present — doomscrolling hardly leaves room for mindfulness. Art museums are the most thought-provoking places in the world. When you talk about art, you’re revealing how you think; when you stop to process a work of art, you naturally make connections to your own lived experiences. There is an underrated vulnerability in talking about how art makes us feel, and visiting museums allows us to understand ourselves and others better. Using a museum visit as your study break not only recharges you for the responsibilities you take on as a student, but it also allows for productive self-reflection that can’t be achieved through a screen.

Luckily for us, we can easily access these artistic points of connection. Brown students have free admission to the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. It has over 100,000 pieces — featuring the work of iconic artists including Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse and Andy Warhol. The RISD Museum is the largest in Southeastern New England, and it is only a five-minute walk from our Main Green. 

Many young adults don’t visit museums because they don’t feel like the institutions are catered to them. Historically, museums have been advertised as cultural hubs for the elite’s enjoyment. We must reject this notion. Today, the access Americans of all ages have to art is unprecedented, and we do not need to be experts to appreciate the works featured in a museum. Like most university students, I in no way feel that I have an expertise in art. But while this intimidation may dissuade students who feel like they do not belong at art shows, or are scared of coming off as performative, I say, “Who cares?” Being at a museum as a young adult promotes a culture of art appreciation and fosters a new familiarity with the practice of visiting an exhibition. When one swallows their pride and schedules that first museum visit in a leap of faith, the first experience makes the next one easier. Soon, museums are no longer a pretty, yet daunting, picture on your feed. They transform into a new way for you to connect with art. 

With the declining prominence — and number — of museums in the United States, young adults have a responsibility to engage with these centers of knowledge and preserve these essential and educational cultural hubs. Museums preserve artworks and artifacts representing the creativity and beliefs of various cultures throughout history. Without them, we would lose our window into the past and, consequently, be lost moving forward. Museums keep stories alive, especially those of communities who have been marginalized and oppressed. Our generation has a responsibility to keep these works alive and accessible. 

We won’t be able to make museums the cool spot to hang out overnight, but if we infiltrate museums when we are young, our appreciation for them will be passed on through generations to come. Encouraging young people to deepen their passions for learning, history and art can only benefit our brains and how we interact with one another. Being present and having mindful engagement when looking at art allows us to focus on the present moment instead of the thoughts circling our minds. 

I am not telling anyone how to appreciate art. I am just advocating for young people to visit, question, learn and analyze art in ways that are authentic to them as individuals. Let’s get rid of preconceived notions surrounding museums and not take our access to these institutions for granted. If you ever find time between studying for midterms and organizing club meetings, I implore you to invite a friend to visit the museum with you. It might help you relax, and may even become a new lifelong hobby.

Beatriz Lindemann ’29 can be reached at beatriz_lindemann@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

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