Five Jackson Cultural Sites Join National Blue Star Museums Program

Five Jackson museums—the Eudora Welty House & Garden, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and the Museum of Mississippi History—will participate in the 2025 Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families from Armed Forces Day (May 17) through Labor Day (September 1).

Blue Star Museums is a nationwide initiative in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense. It aims to connect military families with cultural institutions across the country. A full list of participating museums can be found at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.

“We are proud to take part in this program, which allows the families of servicemen and servicewomen to enjoy these museums at no cost,” said Michael Morris, director of the Two Mississippi Museums. “The proud tradition of military service is an important part of Mississippi history, and those stories are reflected in each museum.”

Participating Jackson museums offer a wide range of experiences—from civil rights and state history at the Two Mississippi Museums, to literary heritage at the Eudora Welty House, to visual arts, natural science, and cultural exhibits at their respective institutions.

The program is open to those currently serving in the United States military—including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps—and up to five family members. A Geneva Convention CAC, DD Form 1173 or 1173-1 ID, or the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID card is required for entry.