Members of the military get free admission into four Annapolis museums this summer.
Blue Star Museums, a nationwide program that provides free admission to active-duty military and their families, now includes The Museum of Historic Annapolis, William Paca House and Garden, the Annapolis Maritime Museum and the Hammond-Harwood House.
“For 15 years, Blue Star Museums has opened doors for military families to explore, connect and feel at home in their communities,” Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet said in a news release. Blue Star Museums is part of Blue Star Families, a nonprofit based in California that provides support to military families.
The program started on Armed Forces Day, May 17, and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 1.
Karen Theimer Brown, president and CEO of Historic Annapolis, said that because Annapolis is home to numerous members of the military and the U.S. Naval Academy, participation in the program is expected to be high.
Historic Annapolis, a nonprofit preservation and history organization, oversees the Museum of Historic Annapolis and the William Paca House and Garden.
“It is our goal to broaden our connection with all of Annapolis and this program allows us to do just that,” Theimer Brown said.
The program offers free admission to active-duty military personnel, National Guardsmen regardless of status, reservists, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and their families.
There are 35 museums across Maryland participating in the program, including Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewood.
“Museums are more than cultural spaces,” Roth-Douquet said. “They’re places where military families feel seen, welcomed and celebrated.”
Have a news tip? Contact James Matheson at jmatheson@baltsun.com, 443-842-2344 or on X @jamesmatheson__