The National Corvette Museum has joined Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their immediate family from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011.The National Corvette Museum kicked off the Blue Star initiative with an American Warrior Recognition event on Thursday, May 26 bringing nearly 80 wounded warriors from Fort Knox and Fort Campbell to the Museum for complimentary tours, a luncheon and souvenirs.
“We think it is only fitting that America’s sports car – the Chevrolet Corvette – shows its appreciation to American warriors,” Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode said.
The Museum also offers free admission during the month of November to any American veteran (not just active) and their immediate family as part of Military Appreciation Month. Additionally, active military receive free admission to the Museum year-round, while the Blue Star summer program extends the benefit to their immediate family.
“Blue Star Museums may be the program at the NEA of which I am proudest,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “Blue Star Museums recognizes and thanks our military families for all they are doing for our country, and simultaneously begins young people on a path to becoming life-long museum goers.”
“Last year the success of the inaugural year of the Blue Star Museums program showed that partnerships between the nation’s museum and military communities are a natural,” said Blue Star Families Chairman Kathy Roth-Douquet. “We are thrilled that 300,000 military family members visited our partner museums in the summer of 2010. We hope to exceed that number this year as the military community takes advantage of the rich cultural heritage they defend and protect every day.”
This year, more than 1,324 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 500 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 70 children’s museums.
Participants in Kentucky also include International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Museum of Science and History in Owensboro and Speed Art Museum in Louisville. In nearby Nashville, TN, The Frist Center for the Visual Arts and the Parthenon Museum are participating.
About Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums runs from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 through to Labor Day, September 5, 2011. The free admission program is available to active-duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members). Active duty military include Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active duty National Guard and active duty Reserve members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.
Museums that wish to participate in Blue Star Museums may contact bluestarmuseums@arts.gov, or Wendy Clark at 202-682-5451.
About National Corvette Museum
The National Corvette Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation and is open daily, 8am-5pm Central Time. It is located at 350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green, KY – just off I-65 exit 28. For more information about the Museum visit www.corvettemuseum.org or call 800-538-3883.
