Starting Monday, Memorial Day, select museums around the country will offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day, Sept. 3.

The program is a partnership between the Department of Defense, the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, a nonprofit group providing support for military families. The museum program was started in 2010 and is now in its third year.

To obtain free admission, visitors must present a valid piece of identification showing active duty in the military or National Guard and Reserves. The identification is good for up to five family members.

Spouses of deployed personnel are eligible but must present valid identification for active duty military family members.


This year, more than 1,500 museums around the country are expected to participate in the program, according to Blue Star Families. Among the participating museums in Southern California are the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Norton Simon Museum, the Orange County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego.

Here’s a list of participating museums in Southern California, organized by county.

Los Angeles area

Autry National Center

Bolton Hall Museum

Chinese American Museum

Columbia Memorial Space Center

Craft and Folk Art Museum

The Discovery Center for Science and Technology

The Gamble House

The Grammy Museum at LA Live

Heritage Square Museum

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Leonis Adobe Museum

Museum of Art and History (Lancaster)

Museum of Latin American Art

Museum of Tolerance

Norton Simon Museum

Otis College of Art and Design, Ben Maltz Gallery

Pacific Asia Museum

Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum

Pasadena Museum of California Art

Pasadena Museum of History

Point Fermin Lighthouse

Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch & Gardens

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

Santa Monica Museum of Art

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Skirball Cultural Center

Simi Valley Historical Society & Museum

Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library

The Zimmer Children’s Museum

Orange County

ExplorOcean/Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters

Laguna Art Museum

Orange County Museum of Art


Riverside County

Southern California Medical Museum

San Diego County

Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

California Surf Museum

Barona Cultural Center & Museum

Escondido History Center

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation

Japanese Friendship Garden

Lux Art Institute

The New Children’s Museum

Mingei International Museum

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Downtown

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla

Museum of Photographic Arts

Oceanside Museum of Art

San Diego Archaeological Center

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum

San Diego Chinese Historical Museum

San Diego History Center

The San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Museum of Man

Timken Museum of Art

Veterans Museum and Memorial Center

Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts + Textiles

Ventura / Santa Barbara

Carnegie Art Museum

Museum of Ventura County

Reagan Ranch Center Exhibit Gallery

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Ventura County Maritime Museum

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