NMDCA News:SANTA FE ― Eight state-run museums and Historic Sites under the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) are joining the 2018 launch of Blue Star Museums, the ninth annual collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2018.
A list of participating museums nationwide is available atarts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
“The Blue Star Museums honors the sacrifices of our military men and women and their families, by offering fun, free activity during the summer months,” DCA cabinet Secretary Veronica Gonzales said. “The program is also a wonderful way for service member families to connect to their new communities, and it can provide a meaningful way for families to reconnect after deployment. The Blue Star Museums program is also a perfect way for the arts community to say, ‘thank you’ to our service members and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf, every day.”
Participating DCA institutions include: New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art,Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, in Santa Fe; New Mexico Museum of Space History, Alamogordo; New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque; New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces;National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Museum, Albuquerque; Fort Selden in Radium Springs, the Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner, Fort Stanton Historic Sites; Coronado Historic Site in Bernalillo, Jemez Historic Site in Jemez Springs, and the Lincoln Historic Site in Lincoln. This year’s participating Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, zoos, nature centers and children’s museums.
“Visiting a museum is a great way to get to know a community—whether it’s in your hometown or a stop on a road trip,” National Education Association Chairman Jane Chu said. “We appreciate the enthusiasm of museums all across the country who open their doors for military and their families to spend time together and have new arts experiences.”
“As many military families spend the summer months moving from one duty station to another, or reconnecting with a parent who has returned from deployment, Blue Star Museums helps service members and their families create memories,” Blue Star Families chief executive officer Kathy Roth-Douquet said. “Blue Star Families has great appreciation for the generosity of the museums across the country who roll out the red carpet for the families who serve alongside their service members. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”
