Press Release
May 4, 2023
Contact: Steve Hawkins
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0754
steve.hawkins@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center is a Blue Star Museum
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma History Center will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative. This program provides free admission to active duty US military personnel and their families this summer. The 2023 program will begin on Armed Forces Day and end on Labor Day. The dates are May 20-September 4. The list of participating museums can be found online.
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.
“We thank the 2023 Blue Star Museums who invite military personnel and their families to experience the many wonders they have to offer, whether it’s a glimpse into the past, an encounter with awe-inspiring art or a moment of discovery,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D., chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “The Oklahoma History Center is helping to enrich the lives of military families and build meaningful connections between our nation’s military and their local community.”
Blue Star Museums include children’s museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more, and hail from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands. The current list of participating museums will continue to develop over the summer as organizations 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, US 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.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 405-522-0765 or visit www.okhistory.org/historycenter for admission costs and group rates.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
###
