The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

This summer, active military personnel and their families get free admission to the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) State Historic Sites through the Blue Star Museum Program.

From Memorial Day (May 25) through Labor Day (Sept. 7) the free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card.

THC’s 19 State Historic Sites are all participating in the free admission program. Many of THC’s participating sites have recently had improvements made including new Visitors Centers at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto and Fort Griffin State Historic Site in Albany. A number of the sites are dedicated to preserving the memory of military service in Texas, such as the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg and Fort McKavett in Fort McKavett, Texas.

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. This year, more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states are taking part in the initiative, including more than 500 new museums.

For more information on the THC’s Historic Sites, visit www.texashistoricsites.com. To find participating museums and plan your trip, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.