Blue Star Museum Program: Free Museum Admission for Military Families

Are you a military family looking for some cheap or free fun activities to do over the summer? Be sure to take advantage of the Blue Star Museum program, which will offer free admission for active-duty military families to over 1,100 museums this summer between Memorial Day (May 30) and Labor Day (September 5), 2011.

The Blue Star Museum program is a partnership between Blue Star Families, museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

How do you take advantage of Blue Star Museum Program?

According to the NEA, bearers of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID/1173-1 ID cards can take advantage of the program. These cards are held by active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve service members. Free admission applies to the holder of one of these IDs, plus 5 immediate family members. If your spouse is deployed, the dependent spouse can still take advantage of free museum admissions by producing appropriate ID.

Special exhibit fees may not be included in free admission, so be sure to ask the museum staff what your free admission covers.

How do I find participating Blue Star Museums?

Participating museums can be found by using an interactive map that displays participating museums by state. There are over 1,100 museums that will be participating this summer, up 200 from last year. Find a museum near home to visit or plan your next trip around free museums that you can visit along the way. The interactive map can be found here.

Is there a limit to the number of museums that can be visited for free under this program?

Military families are encouraged to visit as many participating museums as they wish during the program period of Memorial Day through Labor Day, 2011. Museums may individually offer free admission for active-duty military outside of the Blue Star Museum program dates, but this may not be advertised. If you plan to visit a participating museum outside of the program dates this summer, call ahead to inquire whether or not free admission/reduced admission is available to you.

Do you know a military family that would find this article interesting? Please share this information about Blue Star Museums with them.