After a long hiatus, the Blue Star Museum blog is back for a second summer of museum madness! If you’re unfamiliar with the program, Blue Star Museums (BSM) offers free admission to participating museums for active duty military personnel and their families. A partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, the program spans from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and offers military families a wonderful way to enhance their summer with a little cultural fun.

This year, we already have over 1,350 museums across the country and Puerto Rico signed up to participate. On the blog, we'll virtually visit our favorite exhibits, talk with museum staff, and point you to some of the country's more unique destinations. We'll be continuing the conversation on Twitter, where you can find updates by following @NEAarts, #bluestarmuse.

To kick off Blue Star Museums 2011, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman is out in San Diego today, where he’ll meet with military families and visit a few museums in Balboa Park. We’ll hear more about his trip once he’s back in Washington, but for now, check out which museums near you are participating, and make sure to visit again soon for the latest and greatest in the museum world.