There are currently more than two million men and women in the U.S. military. Every day, these active-duty service members and their families make sacrifices on the nation’s behalf, enduring physical danger, time apart from loved ones, stress, loneliness, and anxiety.

To support our military families, the NEA launched Blue Star Museums in 2010, a partnership between the NEA, Blue Star Families—an organization of military spouses that addresses the challenges of military life, and the Department of Defense. Every summer, Blue Star Museums offers free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families at more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa.

At its heart, this program is designed to build connections. Visiting a museum can connect families with their new communities after a permanent change of station; it can forge bonds as families spend time together (particularly important for those becoming reacquainted after deployment); and it can connect service members with the cultural patrimony they are fighting to protect. Of course, sometimes it’s just as important to disconnect: for those missing a loved one overseas, the distraction of a few hours at a museum can be priceless. As Ellyn Dunford, spouse of General Joseph Dunford of the Marine Corps, noted at the 2015 Blue Star Museums launch, “The gift that you give us through Blue Star Museums, and the additional exposure and education and experience that our military families gain, is valuable for the whole country and the world because we share that as we go along.”

Since its inception, the program has encouraged participation from fields far beyond art, including children’s museums, gardens, historical homes, science and history museums, and even zoos. By offering something for every age and interest, Blue Star Museums is a program that caters to every member of our military families. More than 700,000 service members and their families participate in the program annually.