Again this summer, Kaleideum is participating in Blue Star Museums by offering free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day 2018. Blue Star Museums is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums nationwide, including children’s museums, fine art museums, history and science museums, zoos, and nature centers. A complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
Kaleideum also extends the discount to non-active duty military personnel (with their military ID) from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
“Visiting a museum is a great way to get to know a community —whether it’s in your hometown or a stop on a road trip,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Blue Star Museums is one way our nation’s museums can express appreciation to our military for their service and share with them America’s cultural treasures. Blue Star Museums also provides a way for military families to feel connected to their community, especially for those families who have recently relocated through a change of station.”
“As many military families spend the summer months moving from one duty station to another, or reconnecting with a parent who has returned from deployment, Blue Star Museums helps service members and their families create memories,” said Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Blue Star Families has great appreciation for the generosity of the museums across the country who roll out the red carpet for the families who serve alongside their service members. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”
“Blue Star Museums represents an exciting opportunity for military families to learn and have fun together,” said A.T. Johnston, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy. “The Defense Department congratulates Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts on nine years of service to the military community and offers our sincere gratitude to the more than 2,000 museums across the country for opening your doors through this wonderful program. Your patriotism and generosity have enriched the lives and experiences of our military families.”