MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- About 50 California museums are part of a new program offering free admission to museums for active duty, reservists and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
More than 750 museums in all states and the District of Columbia are participating in Blue Star Museums.
Blue Star Museums was started as a pilot partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 650 museums across America to offer free admission to military families. The program offers these families a chance to visit museums this summer when many may have limited resources and limited time to be together.
“I'm very impressed by this the Blue Star Museum Program and the numbers of museums that have donated their facilities to it,” said Col. Christopher C. Conlin, assistant chief of staff, operations, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. “This shows the depth of support our Armed Forces enjoy from this great country, and the concern of the American public for our families who sacrifice so much.”
The program defines an immediate family member as a spouse, sibling or child of active duty military or active duty military family member. A Geneva Conventions Common Access Card for active duty military personnel or a DD Form 1173 for active duty military family must be provided for free access.
“Servicemembers who are stationed in San Diego have a great opportunity to attend many premier museums for little or no cost,” said Barbara McCurtis, director, MCRD San Diego Command Museum.
Spouses and family members of deployed military are also eligible. An ID card (DD Form 1173 ID) must be provided for access. The military ID holder and up to five immediate family members, to include a spouse, children or siblings of the ID holder are allowed per visit.
The program can be advantageous for those with families. For example, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Downtown, a program participant, regularly charges $5 per military member, and the San Diego Botanic Garden normally charges $8.
Children’s museums are also participating, while others include collections or activities geared toward youngsters. The San Diego Botanic Garden, for example, hosts the Hamilton Children's Garden, the largest interactive children's garden on the West Coast. The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park has a broad range of programs aimed at children, ranging from tours to musical performances and films to hands-on art activities. Each museum’s website details featured activities and exhibits.
“Children are naturally inquisitive,” said Conlin. “Museums offer kids a terrific opportunity to interact with physical representations of the times and places of our world (and off our world sometimes) that a book, the TV or a video game could never replicate. Today's museums are particularly good at offering interactive displays, often specifically designed for children, which let them learn by doing. We have never been to a museum and found our kids to be bored. Instead, we find ourselves spending twice the time we expected, and promising ourselves to be back again soon!"
Children under age 10 without military ID are welcome to attend with their parents or siblings who either hold a CAC or a DD 1173 active duty military family ID.
There is no limit on the number of participating museums that eligible parties can visit. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, contact the museum directly.
For a list of participating museums, visit www.bluestarfam.org/drupal/participatingmuseums or www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.