St. Mary’s City, MD, announced its participation in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a collaborative effort providing free museum admission to U.S. military personnel and their families throughout the summer. This nationwide program, a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense, begins on Armed Forces Day, May 18, and extends through Labor Day, September 2.
Historic St. Mary’s City is one of the many museums across the U.S. to join this initiative, which includes diverse institutions such as children’s museums, art, science and history museums, zoos, gardens, and even lighthouses. The program spans all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We are grateful to Historic St. Mary’s City for participating in this summer’s Blue Star Museums program and we hope military families will take this opportunity to create meaningful, lifelong memories.” She emphasized the program’s role in helping military families connect and find inspiration within their communities or new duty locations.
Echoing Jackson’s sentiments, Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families, highlighted the importance of museum access for military families: “Military families love Blue Star Museums, and we couldn’t run this program without the National Endowment for the Arts and the museums across the nation who show they care by participating.” She noted the program’s impact in enriching military families’ lives, creating memorable experiences, and helping them feel connected to their communities.
Eligibility for free admission under the Blue Star Museums program includes active-duty members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps. Admission is also extended to up to five family members. Qualified individuals must present a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card, or a Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entry into participating museums.
For more information and a current list of participating museums, visit arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
