Through the Blue Star Museums program, families of active military members can enjoy FREE admission at over 2,000 venues nationwide — including 14 in the Atlanta metro area. The program is made possible through collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts.
This is a summer program. In 2024, the FREE admission offer at participating venues begins on May 20th (Armed Forces Day) and continues through Monday, September 2nd (Labor Day).
Nationwide, participating venues include children’s museums, fine art museums, history and science centers, zoos, and nature centers.
Kids can download a free activity sheet to commemorate each of the Blue Star venues they visit this summer.
Who gets FREE admission through the Blue Star Museums program?
The free admission program is open to active-duty military personnel, and their families, including:
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- Reserves
- National Guard
- U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps
- NOAA Commissioned Corps
The active-duty member does NOT have to present for families to get the free admission deal. A spouse or other family member is also eligible, with a military family ID card.
The military ID holder may bring up to five family members for free. A family member of active duty military may include a spouse or child, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.
The Blue Star Museums program does NOT include veterans, retired military personnel, or spouses/children of deceased military personnel. It was designed to support families of those who are actively deployed. However, you can contact a museum directly to find out what kinds of military discounts it offers to veterans and retirees.
NOTE: In some cases, a venue might exclude special exhibits or traveling exhibits from the free admission program.
Read the press release
Accepted forms of military ID
The Blue Star Museums website mandates one of the following ID types:
Participating Blue Star Museums in metro Atlanta
There is no limit to how many free visits you can make, if you qualify for the Blue Star Museums program.
If you’re traveling, you can find a list of venues by state online (you can also double-check the status of local museums there).
This list is updated for 2024.
There are fewer participating museums than usual this year in metro Atlanta.
- David J. Sencer CDC Museum
- Delta Flight Museum
- Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum
- Michael C. Carlos Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia
- Oglethorpe University Museum of Art
- Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
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