What to Know
- Blue Star Museums program
- Through Sept. 1, 2025
- The program offers "active-duty military personnel and their families" free admission to hundreds of museums across the nation
- Military identification is required and up to five family members may be included; read the important details before visiting a Blue Star museum
- The National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense are partners on the popular annual program, along with the many participating museums
ROAD TRIPS, BIG ADVENTURES, and the get-out-of-the-house experiences that many families enjoy in the summertime are the way that stories are made. We are, of course, talking about the bond-building stories we share with our loved ones, the uplifting anecdotes and core memories that fill out our family portrait. If you're hoping to savor some of that sweetness over the coming summer, here's one uplifting route: Hundreds of historical, art, and cultural institutions across the country will offer free admission to military families, a tradition that's known as the Blue Star Museums program. The popular program runs for over three months each year, from Armed Services Day in May through Labor Day.
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WATCH HEREBLUE STAR SUMMER FUN: "The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to help connect military service members and their families with their communities through the Blue Star Museums program," said Mary Anne Carter, Senior Advisor for the National Endowment for the Arts. "Museums and cultural institutions offer countless opportunities for our military to create special memories, celebrate America's history, and connect with our country's heritage and culture."
CALIFORNIA... is home to numerous Blue Star participants, including the Santa Cruz Children's Museum of Discovery, the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. "More organizations will be added every week throughout the summer," shares the site, so do keep tabs on what's happening near you. Or even far-off: If you plan on visiting relatives several states away, be sure to check out the Blue Star list for the area. Around 2,000 destinations participate each year, giving families the chance to visit at least a few spots, wherever they live. The acclaimed program an annual show of gratitude to active-duty members of the military and their families, a joyful give-back gesture that is sweet, full of memory-making potential, and as big as summertime.
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