USI and Historic New Harmony participate in Blue Star Museums

Historic New Harmony has announced it will join museums nationwide in participating in the tenth summer of Blue Star Museums, a program which provides free admission to our nation's active-duty military personnel and their families this summer. The 2019 program launched on Saturday, May 18 (Armed Forces Day) and will end on Monday, September 2 (Labor Day).

"It is important to Historic New Harmony to give back to the community," said Claire Eagle, community engagement manager for Historic New Harmony. "This is our third year participating in the program. It is a great opportunity to give back while thanking those who serve this country. We're excited to offer these individuals and families a chance to visit our historic site."

Blue Star Museums is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums nationwide. First Lady of the United States Melania Trump and Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence are honorary co-chairs of Blue Star Museums 2019.

"The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to celebrate the tenth summer of collaborating with Blue Star Families, Department of Defense, and especially the more than 2,000 museums across our nation that make this program possible," said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. "Organizations such as Historic New Harmony are providing wonderful opportunities for military families to share a memorable experience together this summer."

This year's participating organizations include fine art, science, history, and children's museums, as well as zoos, aquariums, gardens, and more. Military members can find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. Museums are welcome to sign up for Blue Star Museums throughout the summer at arts.gov.

"We've seen the tremendous impact the Blue Star Museums program brings to our military families, and we're thrilled to be celebrating a decade of support," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, chief executive officer of Blue Star Families. "Not only are museums fun to explore but are also great for making memories and strengthening military families as a whole." 

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military-Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as 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), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.

For more information, follow Blue Star Museums on Twitter @NEAarts and @BlueStarFamily and search #bluestarmuseums. Historic New Harmony can be found on Twitter @TheAtheneum and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/historicnewharmony.

About Historic New Harmony

​Historic New Harmony is a unified program of the University of Southern Indiana and the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. By preserving its utopian legacy, Historic New Harmony inspires innovation and progressive thought through its programs & collections. This work expands the original intent of the university's involvement in New Harmony, which was to nurture this living laboratory for ideas - a place where students and teachers, tourists and scholars, leaders and seekers, can come together to experience, explore, and create. For more information, visit the USI website at USI.edu/hnh.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more. 

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families builds communities that support military families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions, including career development tools, local community events for families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, Blue Star Families has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5 million military family members. With Blue Star Families, military families can find answers to their challenges anywhere they are. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.