News

State Museums to Offer Free Admission to Military Families

This National Endowment for the Arts Program runs throughout the summer

(Carson City, NV) The Nevada Division of Museums and History’s seven state museums will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to active-duty U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The 2024 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, 2024, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024.

The participating Nevada State museums are:

  • Nevada State Museum, Carson City, 600 N. Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701
  • Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, 309 S. Valley View Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89107
  • Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City, 2180 South Carson Street, Carson City NV 89701
  • Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City, 601 Yucca Street Boulder City, NV 89005
  • East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, 1100 Avenue A Ely, Nevada 89301
  • Nevada Historical Society, 1650 North Virginia Street Reno, NV 89503
  • Lost City Museum, 721 S Moapa Valley Blvd Overton, NV 89040

“As a veteran, the value of the Blue Star program from the National Endowment for the Arts is enormous. Waiving the admission price for our military families breaks down the cost barrier to visiting our museums so they can build connections with our history and with each other as a shared experience,” said Dan Thielen, Department of Museums and History Administrator.

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 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.

Blue Star Museums include children’s museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses, and more, and hail from all 50 states, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Find the list of participating museums in Nevada at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

 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 Division of Museums and History

The Division of Museums and History mission is to support and manage the network of seven state museums throughout the state to preserve the state’s history and culture for Nevadans now and in the future. For more information and links to each of the museums, visit https://nvmuseums.org/.