MNHS Offers Free Admission to U.S. Military Members and Their Families in Summer 2019

The Minnesota Historical Society is pleased to announce that 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 MNHS 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 on 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," said Melanie Adams, MNHS deputy director of Learning Initiatives. "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," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, chief executive officer of Blue Star Families. "Not only are museums fun to explore but are also great for making memories and strengthening military families as a whole."

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, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID) or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families builds communities that support military families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions, including career development tools, local community events for families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, Blue Star Families has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5 million military family members. With Blue Star Families, military families can find answers to their challenges anywhere they are. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota's past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state's stories and connects people with history. Visit us at mnhs.org.

The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partner: Explore Minnesota Tourism.