The Minnesota Historical Society announced this summer, all of its historic sites and museums will participate in Blue Star Museums, a national program that provides free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families.
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 U.S. museums, active military ID holders and up to five accompanying family members will receive free admission at all historical society historic sites and museums-from Split Rock Lighthouse and Historic Fort Snelling to the Minnesota History Center and Mill City Museum-during summer 2019.
In 2018, more than 680,000 military families visited Blue Star Museums across the country. The 2019 program launches Saturday, May 18, Armed Forces Day, and ends on Monday, Sept. 2, Labor Day.
"We're very excited for MNHS to join Blue Star Museums this year," stated Melanie Adams, MNHS deputy director of Learning Initiatives, in a news release. "This program is a great way to honor the dedicated service of military men and women and their families this summer."
"We've seen the tremendous impact the Blue Star Museums program brings to our military families, and we're thrilled to be celebrating a decade of support," stated Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families, in the release. "Not only are museums fun to explore but are also great for making memories and strengthening military families as a whole."
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This free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States military-Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card, DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID) or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
