NEWSLETTER
Free admission for military personnel and their families from May 17 until September 1
Howes Cave, NY – 5/13/25 – The Iroquois Museum is pleased to participate in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer. The 2025 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 17, 2025, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2025. Learn more and find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to help connect military service members and their families with their communities through the Blue Star Museums program,” said Mary Anne Carter, Senior Advisor for the National Endowment for the Arts. “Institutions like the Iroquois Museum offer opportunities for military members to create special memories and connect with our country’s heritage and culture.”
"For 15 years, Blue Star Museums has opened doors for military families to explore, connect, and feel at home in their communities,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “Thanks to our continued partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and participating museums nationwide, we’re proud to continue this tradition of belonging and enrichment. Museums are more than cultural spaces—they’re places where military families feel seen, welcomed, and celebrated."
In addition to Iroquois Museum, participants include history, art, and children’s museums, historical sites, botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums, and more, and can be found in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The current list of participating museums will continue to grow as organizations can register to be a Blue Star Museum throughout the summer.
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military—Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, 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), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
ABOUT THE IROQUOIS MUSEUM
In a building inspired by a longhouse, the Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, NY, on Mohawk land, introduces visitors to the art and culture of the Haudenosaunee/ Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora). The Museum’s exhibits, festivals, events, interactive Children’s Museum, and 45-acre Nature Park celebrate the cultural diversity, rich history, archaeology, and artistic expression of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois. For more information, visit www.iroquoismuseum.org. The museum is at 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave, NY. It is open in April, Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Summer hours expand in May to Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. A “blue star family” is the family of a currently serving military member, including active duty, National Guard, reserve forces, and those transitioning out of service. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually through an expansive network of chapters and outposts. For more information, click here.
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Press contact: Heather Livengood, heather@iroquoismuseum.org