OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi Museum joins Blue Star Museums to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013.
Blue Star is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 1,800 museums across America. The program runs from May 27 to Sept. 2. The complete list of participating museums is available at http:www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
“The University of Mississippi Museum is exceptionally pleased and proud to be a participating Blue Star Museum member site,” said Robert Saarnio, museum director. “Recognizing our region’s military families in this way is a heartfelt gesture of our community’s profound appreciation for their dedicated service.”
The program is important to military families, said Joan Shigekawa, NEA acting chairman.
“Our work with Blue Star Families and with more than 1,800 museums ensures that we can reach out to military families and thank them for their service and sacrifice,” she said.
The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card, a DD Form 1173 ID card or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and NOAA Commissioned Corps — and up to five family members.
Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families. The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities.
The UM Museum, at the corner of University Avenue and Fifth Street, is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. For more information or for assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7084.