FILOLI TO PARTICIPATE IN BLUE STAR MUSEUMS PROGRAM

Filoli is one of more than 1,500 museums and cultural institutions across America

To offer free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families this summer in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense

86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA  94062

Filoli announces its participation in Blue Star Museums, a collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums and cultural institutions across America to offer free admission to all active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2012.  (Filoli is closed in observance of all Federal holidays.)

“As we enter the third consecutive year of the Blue Star Museums program, we are happy to provide an opportunity for our nation’s service members and their families to connect with our national treasures,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet.

This year, more than 1,500 museums and cultural institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 300 new museums this year.    The effort to recruit museums has involved the partnership efforts of The American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, and the American Association of State and Local History and the Association of Science-Technology Centers.  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.  To find which museums or cultural institutions are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

About Blue Star Museums

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 1,500 museums across America.  The program runs from Memorial Day, May 28, 2012 through Labor Day, September 3, 2012.  The free admission program is available to active-duty military personnel and their family members (military ID holder and up to five 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 or cultural institution directly.  To find 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.

This is the latest NEA program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families.  Other NEA programs for the military have included Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience; Great American Voices Military Base Tour; and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families.  In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life and works to make military life more sustainable through programs and partnerships like Operation Honor Cards, MilKidz Club and Blue Star Museums.  Membership includes military spouses, children and parents as well as service members, veterans and civilians who strongly support them.  To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit www.bluestarfam.org.

 About the National Endowment for the Arts

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 NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.  To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.