Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet (Photo courtesy of Blue Star Families)

The Illinois State Museum (ISM) in Springfield is one of more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense.

The launch of the Blue Star Museums program at the ISM will begin May 26 for Memorial Day weekend and wrap up on Labor Day, Sept. 4.

Blue Star Museums is an effort to improve the quality of life for active duty military families, especially focusing on the approximately two million children who have had at least one parent deployed since 2001.

Blue Star Museums was created to show support for military families who have faced multiple deployments and the challenges of reintegration. This program offers these families a chance to visit museums this summer when many will have limited resources and limited time to be together. A list of participating museums is available at https://www.arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums

Free admission is always available to active military personnel and veterans at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield, but for the duration of the Blue Star Museum program the free admission will be extended to an additional five family members.  Bring your military ID or other documentation including a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form, 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card.

The Illinois State Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon until 4:30 p.m.  The Museum is located at 502 S. Spring St. in Springfield.

— Illinois State Museum to participate in Blue Star Program  —