The Kentucky Gateway Museum Center recently revealed that it will participate in the Blue Star Museums program which gives active duty military personal, including the National Guard and the Reserve, free admission into over 2,000 museums across America.
The program, which grants free admission from Memorial Day, May 25, through Labor Day, Sept. 7, is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families and the Department of Defense.
According to Dr. Jim Shires, the Education Curator for the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, the Blue Star Museums program has been active for three or four years and the museum center has been involved each year.
"I think we are the only museum in the immediate area that participants in the program," Shires said. "There may be some museums in Lexington and Cincinnati that are participating as well, but I believe we are currently the only participants in our area."
Active duty military personnel who wish to use the free admission must provide a military ID card and can bring up to five family members for free, per visit.
"We get a few military families each year, but not a whole lot," Shires said. "We will be open to them again all summer so we hope to see some families again."
Shires said he is happy the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is in the Blue Star Museums program again, and hopes to continue to be a part of it throughout the years.
"We are looking forward to assisting our military families again this year and welcome them to enjoy our exhibits and research facilities." Shires said.
For more information on the Blue Star Museums program and other museums involved, visit http://arts.gov/bluestarmuseums or call the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center at 606-564-5865.
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