Bullock Museum turning blue this summer

MAY 27, 2016 (AUSTIN, TX) — The Bullock Texas State History Museum is proud to announce the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and museums across America, to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2016.

The Bullock Museum is one of more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa taking part in the initiative. A complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“The Bullock Museum offers military discounts for all of its exhibitions and films in an effort to provide educational and entertainment opportunities all year long,” Director Dr. Victoria Ramirez said. “We are excited to expand this offer to include free exhibition admission all summer to active military members and their families. It makes the Bullock Museum a great summer travel destination.”

Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture is a 7,000-sqare-foot special exhibition on view through July 24 that features rare artifacts, video experiences and interactives exploring the intersection of food, nature, history and human culture. A full slate of programs and a tasting kitchen powered by Whole Foods Market offers opportunities for visitors to taste seasonal treats.

They also can experience the sights and sounds of an Aztec marketplace, cook virtual dishes from around the world, and discover the elements of the last meal eaten by a 5,000-year-old mummified human.

Another special exhibition, Journey Into Big Bend, is on view all summer and features a 75-million-year-old giant crocodile skull and other fossils, large-scale images of Big Bend National Park and more.

Both exhibitions and the Texas History Galleries are included in the free admission offer through Blue Star Museums, which has become a nationally recognized program that helps bring local military and civilian communities together and offers families fun and enriching activities where they live. Leadership support is provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families for the program which provides families an opportunity to enjoy the nation’s cultural heritage.

The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps - and up to five family members.

The Bullock Museum also offers military discounts on documentaries and Hollywood feature films that show daily in the museum’s IMAX® Theatre. Located in downtown Austin, the museum features on-site parking, a café and museum store. Follow @BullockMuseum on Facebook and Twitter to find out about upcoming programs, or visit TheStoryofTexas.com for a full calendar of exhibitions, events and programs.

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​​The Bullock Texas State History Museum, a division of the State Preservation Board and an accredited institution of the American Alliance of Museums, creates experiences that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. With dynamic, award-winning exhibitions that illuminate Texas history, people, and culture, educational programming for all ages, and an IMAX® theater with a screen the size of Texas, the Museum collaborates with more than 700 museums, libraries, archives, organizations, and individuals across the world to bring the Story of Texas to life. For more information, visit www.TheStoryofTexas.com or call (866)369-7108.

Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture education programs and kitchen sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture is organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Journey Into Big Bend education programs sponsored by: Big Bend Chamber of Commerce; Forever Resorts, LLC; Gage Hotel; and Visit Big Bend. Support for the Bullock Museum’s exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.