This thesis investigates the professional practice of the National Portrait Gallery's first Director Sir George Scharf (1820–95). It is the first focused analysis of his career and influence, within the nineteenth-century art and museum worlds. It attempts to position Scharf in relation to developments in art historical scholarship and the professionalization of museum practice, in the second half of the 1800s. Chapter 1 outlines Scharf's methodology for portraiture research and considers his scientific approach alongside the establishment of art history as a discipline during his lifetime. Whilst exploring Scharf's development of research standards to be carried forward by successors, it argues for his active role amongst a growing contingent of museum professionals. Chapter 2 reconstructs Scharf's social and professional networks, collating the names of individuals with whom he interacted and mapping the physical sites of engagement. It proposes that access to contacts proved vitally important to his official work and that Scharf himself functioned as an influential figure in this sphere. The third chapter concerns the nature of Scharf's relationships with members of the NPG's Board of Trustees. It investigates his early collaboration with two expert Trustees and charts his interactions with consecutive Chairmen of the Board, demonstrating Scharf's increasing authority with regards to Gallery procedures. Chapters 4 and 5 explore Scharf's interventions relative to the organization and interpretation of the collection across the NPG's early exhibition spaces. Chapter 4 argues that an increased capacity for display enabled Scharf to implement a rational hanging scheme, in line with the Gallery's instructive purpose and inspired by contemporary debates over the efficient presentation of public art. The final chapter documents Scharf's efforts to contextualize the national portraits, ranging from manipulating the exhibition environment, to expanding the NPG's catalogue according to a scholarly model. In its examination of George Scharf's career spanning five decades, particularly his engagement with discourse surrounding public art museums in the Victorian period, this thesis aims to make a significant contribution to the fields of museum studies and studies in the history of collecting and display.

Dementia refers to a variety of diseases that are characterised by cognitive difficulties and an overall decline in daily living skills. Psychologically-informed arts and health interventions may be particularly valuable ways of improving the lives of people with a dementia and their carers. This study investigated arts-based interventions at two, London and Nottingham, art galleries where 12 people with mild to moderate dementia and their 12 carers were engaged in art-viewing and art-making. Post-intervention interviews with participants (n=12) and facilitators (n = 4), field notes and extensive written communication between the facilitators and research team was analysed using a grounded theory approach to establish how the intervention affected those involved. Three categories, a valued place, intellectual stimulation and social interaction, combined to create positive emotional and relational effects for both those with dementia and carers. In addition, there was evidence of a changed perception of dementia by facilitators. The resulting theory has potential implications for the use of arts within health and social care by applied psychologists, health, social care and museum professionals, as well as community services.

Previous research has shown that people with dementia and carers derive wellbeing-related benefits from group art-viewing, and that facilitated museum object handling is effective in increasing subjective wellbeing for people with a range of health conditions. The present study aimed to compare the impact of these activities on subjective wellbeing of people with dementia and carers. A quasi-experimental crossover design was used. People with early to middle stage dementia and their respective carers (N = 66) attended a museum session in small groups where they participated in three activities: museum object handling, a refreshment break and art-viewing. Visual analogue scales were used to rate subjective wellbeing pre and post object-handling and art-viewing. Mixed-design ANOVAs indicated wellbeing significantly increased for people with dementia and carers during the museum session irrespective of the order in which they participated in object-handling and art-viewing. Analysis of pre and post-condition scores across pooled orders indicated wellbeing significantly increased from object-handling and art-viewing for carers; wellbeing for people with dementia significantly increased from object-handling; the increase from art-viewing was not statistically significant. A refreshment break did not produce significant change in wellbeing for either group. An end-of-intervention questionnaire indicated that experiences of the session were positive. Limitations and directions for future research were discussed. Results provided a rationale for partnership working between museums and healthcare professionals.

Research suggests that social prescribing schemes can offer health and psychological wellbeing benefits to older people across a range of interventions. The present study sought to understand how museum programmes, designed to support socially isolated older adults, created opportunities to enhance wellbeing and change experiences of social isolation. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse initial interviews, 3-month follow-up interviews, and participant diaries, from 12 participants who took part in 10-week programmes across six different museums in London and Kent. A theoretical model was developed showing elements of museum programmes, such as the role of the facilitator, activities and physical space, that enabled both individual journeys and relational processes. In addition, individual journeys and relational processes influenced each other, enhancing the experience. These components operated within an interacting social context that was enriched by the museum programme. The theoretical model links with psychological concepts of attachment theory and self-esteem to explain how cultural group programmes could provide opportunities for change in older people. Limitations of the research, implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.