US FlagGAINESVILLE, Fla. — To honor U.S. military veterans, the Florida Museum of Natural History will offer free admission to all fee-based exhibits for veterans and their families during the Fourth of July weekend.

The offer is valid July 3-5 for veterans and up to five family members with a valid form of identification. Valid identification includes: a military ID, DD Form 214, VA card or driver’s license with a blue “V” in the bottom right corner.

The Florida Museum also is offering free admission to all fee-based exhibits for active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day as part of the Blue Star Museums program.

This is the fourth consecutive year the museum has participated in the program, which is a collaboration amongthe National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums across America. The program runs through Sept. 7.

“We are honored to be part of the Blue Star Museums program again this year and can share the largest T. rex ever discovered and an amazing array of live butterflies with active duty military personnel,” said Darcie MacMahon, the museum’s head of exhibits and public programs.

Free admission is available to any active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members.

More information on the program, including a list of participating museums and acceptable ID, is available online.

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Writer: Reba Liddy, PRAssistant@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Darcie MacMahon, dmacmahon@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-2053
Media Contact: Paul Ramey, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-2054