Every summer, from Armed Services Day to Labor Day, Blue Star Museums offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve. Now in its 10th season, Blue Star Museums is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America. The Blue Star Museums program begins on Saturday, May 18, 2019 and will end on Monday, September 2, 2019.  

This year, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump and Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence will serve again as Honorary Co-Chairs of Blue Star Museums. "The National Endowment for the Arts continually looks for new and innovative ways to support our military service members, and Blue Star Museums is a shining example of that effort. The participation by Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Pence will help highlight the more than 2,000 museums, zoos, gardens, and aquariums eager to participate each year to honor and thank our military families for the many sacrifices they make for all Americans," said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Last year, over 680,000 military families visited Blue Star Museums. Blue Star Families have created a Blue Star Museums Parent Toolkit as a guide for making the most out of visiting art museums, science centers, childrens' museums, nature centers, and zoos.