Museums Nationwide Provide Free Admission to Military Families This Summer

Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families (BSF) are pleased to announce that museums across the nation will be participating in the 14th summer of the Blue Star Museums program. From Saturday, May 20, 2023, Armed Forces Day, to Monday, September 4, 2023, Labor Day, active duty military families can enjoy free admission to participating museums in all 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Additional information and a complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“Blue Star Museums invites military personnel and their families to experience the many wonders our nation’s museums have to offer, whether it’s a glimpse into the past, an encounter with awe-inspiring art, or a moment of discovery,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “These opportunities enrich the lives of military families and build meaningful connections within their local communities.”

“Museums are a spectacular place to find a sense of belonging, create connections, and have meant so much to my family over the years,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, founder and CEO, BSF. “That is why this partnership means so much to me personally, and since 2010, to the Blue Star Families organization. We are proud to partner with the National Endowment of the Arts for another great year of Blue Star Museums across the country.”

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and BSF, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America. Links to all participating museums are available on the map on arts.gov and represent a variety of venues and subject areas, including Arizona’s Heard Museum and the Delaware Art Museum, Minnesota’s Duluth Children's Museum; Western New York’s Niagara History Center, Florida’s Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital, the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry, and the National Farm Toy Museum in Iowa.  
 
Museums can join the Blue Star Museums program all summer long and families are encouraged to check the map for museums in their community or during summer travels.
 
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military—Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
 
Efforts to spread the word to museums about this program have involved the American Alliance of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers.
 
Follow #BlueStarMuseums on Twitter and the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families at @NEAarts and @BlueStarFamily.