Clarksville, TN – The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center has once again announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer.
The 2024 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18th, 2024, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 2nd, 2024. Learn more and find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.
“The Customs House Museum is honored and deeply proud to be a Blue Star Museum. This esteemed designation not only highlights our commitment to serving those who have served our nation, but also underscores our enduring dedication to fostering cultural enrichment and community engagement,” said Executive Director Frank Lott. “As a Blue Star Museum, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have served. We are privileged to open our doors to these heroes and their families, ensuring they feel valued and celebrated within the vibrant tapestry of our Museum’s offerings.”
“We are grateful to the Customs House Museum for participating in this summer’s Blue Star Museums program, and we hope military families will take this opportunity to create meaningful, lifelong memories,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Whether you are traveling this summer, getting to know a new duty location or exploring what your community has to offer, Blue Star Museums is a wonderful opportunity to create connection and find inspiration.”
“Military families love Blue Star Museums, and we couldn’t run this program without the National Endowment for the Arts and the museums across the nation who show they care by participating,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Access to museums enriches military families, creates wonderful family memories and helps us feel connected to our communities so that we can thrive and do the hard job we have to do for the country. I am delighted for us to launch the 14th year of this very special program.”
In addition to the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, the Blue Star Museums program includes children’s museums, art, science and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more, hailing from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The current list of participating museums will continue to grow over the summer, as organizations are welcome to register to be a Blue Star Museum.
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military—Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force, 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), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
Follow #bluestarmuseums on Twitter @NEAarts and @BlueStarFamily.
About the Customs House Museum
Located in the heart of Historic Downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the state’s second-largest general interest museum with over 35,000 square feet of exhibit space and houses hands-on activities and special events. Membership and admission information can be found at customshousemuseum.org.
Regular museum hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $12.00 (18-64). Senior Citizens (65+), Adult Military, CMCSS Teachers, and College Students are $9.00. Children ages 3 to 17 are $5.00, and children 2 years or younger and Museum members are free.
The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street. For more information, call 931.648.5780 or visit their website at www.customshousemuseum.org
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.
To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Blue Star Families
??Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest chapter-based military and Veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach fosters strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $200 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people each year.
For more information, click here.
