The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum has announced its participation in the nationwide Blue Star Museums initiative. This program provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer season. The 2024 program is set to commence on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, 2024, and will conclude on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024. Further information and a list of participating museums can be found at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Blue Star Museums is a collaborative effort between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, along with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.
Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts expressed her gratitude towards the Balloon Museum's participation in this year's Blue Star Museums program. She stated, “We are grateful to the Balloon 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.”
Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families echoed similar sentiments saying "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.”
In addition to the Balloon Museum, numerous other institutions such as children’s museums, art galleries, science centers, history museums, zoos and gardens participate in this initiative. These establishments hail from all 50 states including District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in various branches of United States Military including Air Force, Army, Coast Guard Marine Corps Navy Space Force members of Reserves National Guard U.S Public Health Commissioned Corps NOAA Commissioned Corps along with up to five family members. To gain entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum, qualified members must present 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.
