Shore Line Trolley Museum Joins Blue Star Museums Initiative

EAST HAVEN, CT —The Shore Line Trolley Museum announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer.

The 2023 program began on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 2023, and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 2023.

Find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

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, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “The Shore Line Trolley Museum 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, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The current list of participating museums will continue to develop over the summer as organizations are welcome to 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, 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, 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.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Blue Star Families

BlueStar Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest chapter-based military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach fosters strong communities with a focus on human centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered millions of dollars in benefits and impacted more than 1.5 million people each year. For more information, click here and follow along with Blue Star Families on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About the Shore Line Trolley Museum

The Shore Line Trolley Museum, located at 17 River St., in East Haven, is the oldest continuously operated suburban trolley line in the United States and is the only remaining portion of the Connecticut Company trolley system in existence. The museum is registered as a National Historic District. The Mission of The Shore Line Trolley Museum is to preserve and share the social and technological history and continuing impact of urban and suburban public transportation systems by sustaining and operating historic vehicles on the oldest continuously running suburban trolley line in the United States. The museum operates as the Branford Electric Railway Association, a National Historic District. The museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit and all donations are tax deductible. Visit https://www.shorelinetrolley.org for more information.