The Art of Slowing Down

What happens when we slow down enough to really experience art? We visit a museum to discover how slow looking at art can cultivate awe, empathy, and a greater sense of connection in a distracted world.

Summary: Art has the power to move us emotionally, physically, and socially—but only if we take the time to truly engage with it. As part of our Cities of Awe series, this episode of The Science of Happiness explores what happens when we slow down and really look at a piece of art. We visit the Nevada Museum of Art to look at the science and practice of slow looking—how it can deepen empathy, presence, and everyday meaning.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Choose One Piece and Commit to Staying With It: Pick a single artwork, photograph, object, or even a scene in nature. Set aside about 15 minutes and put away distractions—especially your phone. The goal is not to “figure it out,” but to stay present long enough for your experience to deepen.
2. Spend Time Noticing the Form: For the first five minutes, focus only on what you see. Notice the shapes, textures, colors, lines, patterns, shadows, movement, or composition. Let your eyes wander slowly across the piece and observe details you might normally miss.
3. Pay Attention to Your Emotional Response: For the next five minutes, shift inward. What feelings arise as you look? Curiosity, comfort, sadness, awe, tension, delight, nostalgia? Instead of labeling the experience as simply “I like it” or “I don’t,” explore the full range of emotions and reactions that emerge.
4. Let Your Mind Make Associations: For the last five minutes, allow the artwork to lead your thoughts elsewhere. What memories, people, places, or ideas come to mind? Does it remind you of something from your own life or spark questions about the world, history, or humanity? Follow the associations without judging them.
5. Stay Open to Complexity and Discomfort: Some works may bring up conflicting or uncomfortable emotions. Rather than rushing past them, give yourself permission to sit with them.

Read the full study here.

Learn more from our collaborators at Gehl: citiesofawe.com/

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

COLIN ROBERTSON is the Senior Vice President of Education and Research at the Nevada Museum of Art.

Learn more about Colin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinmrobertson/

DR. ANJAN CHATTERJEE is a professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture and the founding Director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics.

Learn more about Dr. Anjan Chatterjee here: https://tinyurl.com/yw2fs364

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

Cities of Awe Series: https://tinyurl.com/2vyhxvny

Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/5b5prh4t