Russell Museum offers free admission to military families
Published: May 28, 2010
The C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls is participating in the Blue Star Museums program, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 600 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 2010.
“The C.M. Russell Museum already supports the men and women of our military with free admission to the museum, but we are very pleased to officially join the Blue Star Program working with more than 600 other museums to offer something more to those people who serve our country,” said Dr. Darrell Beauchamp, the museum’s executive director.
Exhibits at the museum include “Hard Twist: Western Ranch Photographs by Barbara Van Cleve,” through July 4; “From Study to Studio,” works by members of the Montana Painters Alliance,” through Sept. 11; and “Masters in Miniature,” a benefit show that culminates in a dinner and sale on Sept. 11. “The Bison: American Icon, Heart of Plains Indian Culture” joins a roster of permanent displays at the museum, including works by Charlie Russell, Olaf C. Seltzer and Gary Schildt.
“America’s museums are proud to join the rest of the country in thanking our military personnel and their families for their service and sacrifice,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman. “I cannot imagine a better way to do that than welcoming them in to explore and enjoy the extraordinary cultural heritage our museums present. The works of art on view this summer will inspire and challenge viewers, and sometimes they will just be a great deal of fun.”
“There have always been wonderful examples of partnerships between museums and military installations, but the scale of this gift from the museum communities to military families is thrilling,” said Blue Star Families Chairman Kathy Roth-Douquet.
More than 600 museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are taking part in the initiative, and represent a broad range of art, history, science, and cultural topics. The Russell Museum is the only museum in Montana participating in the partnership.
Under the program, free admission is granted to active duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members), which includes active duty Reserve and active duty National Guard. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.
For details on the Russell Museum, call 406-727-8787 or visit www.cmrussell.org.
