Blue Star Museums: Free Fun for Military Families

Blue Star Museums: Free Fun for Military Families

As we reach the dog days of summer, is your family running out of fun activities? How about a free trip to an interactive science museum, a peaceful nature center, or a historic building to see precious artifacts?

The National Endowment for the Arts has partnered with nonprofit Blue Star Families to provide free museum admission for military families. Blue Star Museums 2023 runs from May 20th through September 4th and offers a range of sites and activities in every US state. (Find a map here.) With over 2,000 museums, zoos, and parks participating, there’s something for everyone!

The Blue Star program started in 2010 and has since provided merry and memorable experiences for two million military families. All active duty military personnel (including reserve and National Guard) gain free admission; just bring your common access card (CAC) or DD Form 1173 or 1173-1 ID card. You can bring along up to five family members for free to each attraction, including spouse, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles.

The mission of the program is to increase quality of life for military families and strengthen the bonds they share. Learn more about free museums for military personnel here through the Blue Star Museums page and more about Blue Star Families here.