Museums across Alabama are taking part in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The 2023 program began on Armed Forces Day, May 20, and will end on Labor Day, Sept. 4.

Vulcan Park & Museum in Birmingham is the latest to announce it will be part of this year’s initiative. Other Alabama museums participating are:

• In Birmingham: McWane Science Center and the Southern Museum of Flight
• In Dothan: Landmark Park/Alabama Agricultural Museum and the Wiregrass Museum of Art
• At Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker): the U.S. Army Aviation Museum
• In Huntsville: U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum
• In Mobile: Mobile Museum of Art and the National Museum of the Gulf of Mexico/GulfQuest
• In Orrville: Old Cahawba Archeological Park
• In Tuscaloosa: Alabama Museum of Natural History and Paul W. Bryant Museum

More museums continue to be added to the list, across the nation. Find the latest 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 the United States.

“We are thrilled to participate once again this year in the Blue Star Museums program to honor those who serve our country,” said Amanda Hare, director of Marketing & Public Relations for Vulcan Park and Museum. “Vulcan Park and Museum gives visitors a glimpse of all the components of Birmingham’s rich history. From the beginning of the city as a mining community, through the civil rights movement to the modern-day renaissance, visitors learn what makes our city so unique. We welcome the members of the military and their families to enjoy our park and museum all summer long.”

“We thank the 2023 Blue Star Museums who invite military personnel and their families to experience the many wonders they have to offer, whether it’s a glimpse into the past, an encounter with awe-inspiring art or a moment of discovery,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D., chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Vulcan Park and Museum is helping to enrich the lives of military families and build meaningful connections between our nation’s military and their local community.”

Visitors tour Vulcan Park & Museum, which will admit military families free through Labor Day. (Vulcan Park & Museum)

Blue Star Museums include children’s museums, art, science and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and other attractions, and are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The list of participating museums will continue to develop over the summer as more organizations register to be a Blue Star Museum.

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the U.S. 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.