The Albany Museum of Art is pleased to participate again this year in Blue Star Museums, a nationwide program providing free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer.

“As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, the Albany Museum of Art is proud to reach out and offer a special welcome to the brave military personnel who serve our nation, and to their families, who love and support them,” Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D., said. “Art can have a profound, positive effect, and we hope our friends in the military and their families will take the opportunity to experience it this summer, and to engage in the programs and events we offer.”

The 2026 Blue Star Museums program started on Armed Forces Day (Saturday, May 16) and continues through Labor Day (Monday, Sept 7). The Albany Museum of Art, located at 311 Meadowlark Drive, is open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays.

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.

“Museums help military families stay connected—to each other, to their communities, and to the nation they serve,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “As our country approaches 250 years of independence, Blue Star Museums provides service members and their loved ones with meaningful opportunities to explore history and spark curiosity.

“For military families—who often face frequent moves and time apart—these shared museum experiences offer a sense of stability, belonging, and connection. By opening doors nationwide, this program ensures they can engage with the arts and history that reflect their sacrifices and strengthen the bonds that hold them together.”

The list and a map of participating museums is at https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums.

“Blue Star Museums has opened doors for military families to explore, connect, and feel at home,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we’re proud to continue this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and museums nationwide—welcoming military families into the heart of our nation’s story and celebrating them every step of the way.”

Summer exhibitions at the Albany Museum of Art will be open from Thursday, May 28, through Saturday, Aug 29. Exhibitions will include Vitus Shell: Power of Sight; Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA; Moments in The Good Life City: An Oral History of Albany, GA; The Middle Way, photography by Rylan Steele, and The Home of Birds, works by Jessica Ambadipudi.

In addition to the Albany Museum of Art, participating museums can be found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The list of participating institutions includes history, art, and children’s museums; historical sites; botanical gardens; zoos; aquariums; and more. Museums can join the Blue Star Museums program all summer long, and the online map will be updated regularly.

This free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States military—Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. 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 Albany Museum of Art keeps barriers to art down by providing free admission year-round to everyone,” Wulf noted. “We hope our friends in the military and their families will take advantage of that and continue to spend time with us in the fall, winter, and spring as well."

• Vitus Shell: Power of Sight is May 28-Aug 29, 2026, in the Haley Gallery.
• Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA is May 28-Aug 29, 2026, in the East Gallery.
• Moments in The Good Life City: An Oral History of Albany, GA is May 28-Aug 29, 2026, in the Hodges Gallery.
• The Middle Way, works by Rylan Steele, is May 28-Aug 29, 2026, in the McCormack Gallery.
• The Home of Birds, works by Jessica Ambadipudi, is May 28-Aug 29, 2026, in the West Gallery.