From Memorial Day to Labor Day, more than 600 museums in all 50 States and DC are offering FREE entrance to active duty military members (to include activated reserves and Guardsmen) and up to a total of five immediate family members!

See more information and hyperlinks below:

“The Blue Star Museums initiative is a tangible expression of appreciation to servicemembers and their families,” said Barbara Thompson, director of the Pentagon’s office of family policy, children and youth. “It warms our hearts to see how other federal agencies and local communities can think creatively to recognize their sacrifice and contribution to the nation.”

People can visit http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index.php for a complete list of participating museums, which run the gamut from children’s and fine arts to history and science museums. Participating museums include the Art Institute of Chicago, Dallas Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and all of New Mexico’s 14 state-run museums and historic monuments.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for servicemembers and their families to enjoy the cultural experiences that might have otherwise been inaccessible because of cost,” Thompson said. “We truly appreciate the generosity of the National Endowment for the Arts and the participating museums.”

While admission is free of charge, some special or limited-time exhibits may not be included in the program, according to a Blue Star Museums news release. People should contact the museum directly for specifics.
“There have always been wonderful examples of partnerships between museums and military installations, but the scale of this gift from the museum community to military families is thrilling,” Kathy Roth-Douquet, chairman of Blue Star Families, said in a news release. “Military families work hard for this country, and it is gratifying for us to be recognized for that.
“We anticipate that thousands of military families will participate in the program and visit museums this summer – many of them for the first time,” she continued. “Blue Star Families will work hard to help our military families make the most of these opportunities.”

A group of military spouses formed Blue Star Families in December 2008 to raise awareness of the challenges of military family life in partnership with civilian communities and leaders, according to the organization’s website. The nonprofit group has grown to include spouses and families from all services and walks of life, including National Guard and Reserve, as well as veterans and civilians.

Related Sites:
Blue Star Museums
Participating Museums
Blue Star Families
National Endowment for the Arts

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 at 8:22 am and is filed under Active Duty, Announcement, Chaplains, Families, Fun Stuff, Information, Life Lessons, National Guard, News, Parents, Reserves, Spouses, Stories, Uncategorized, Wounded Warriors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.