Chrysler Museum Provides Free Admission to Military Families this Summer

NORFOLK, Va. – (May 2011) – More than 1,300 museums across America will offer free admission to military personnel and their families again this summer as part of the Blue Star Museums program, a Blue Star Museums initiative in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. This free admission benefit is available to all active-duty military personnel, National Guard, Reserve and their families from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2011. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.BlueStarFam.org and www.nea.gov/national/bluestarmuseums.

At the Chrysler Museum of Art, military families will enjoy free admission to the Museum’s 62 galleries in addition to a special exhibition, Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey, which is on view until September 18. The exhibition recounts the hair-raising tale of how Margret and H. A. Rey, the German Jews who created the mischievous monkey, fled Nazi Europe for the safety of the United States. Nearly 80 original drawings, book mock-ups, personal photographs and documents, as well as a multimedia touch-screen timeline, reveal the dramatic story of escape and survival that became the basis for the best-selling fiction series for children. The story and exhibition appeal to all ages. The touring exhibition was organized by The Jewish Museum in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Chrysler’s presentation of the show is sponsored locally by the Simon Family Jewish Community Center, the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding at Old Dominion, WHRO Public Media, and the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center. 
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families is a national, non-partisan, non-profit network of military families from all ranks and services including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families. In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life with civilian community and leaders. Membership includes spouses, kids, parents, service members, veterans and civilians. Operation Appreciation is an initiative of Blue Star Families that seeks to connect military families to the larger community.

Blue Star Families 2009 annual survey shows that 94 percent of military families feel that the larger community doesn’t truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices they make for the country. Through initiatives such as Blue Star Museums, Blue Star Families provides avenues for the larger community to show that they do understand, in meaningful ways that enrich the lives of military service members, spouses, children and parents. For more information, please visit www.BlueStarFam.org.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established, bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov. 

About the Chrysler Museum
The Chrysler Museum of Art is one of America’s most distinguished mid-sized art museums with a world-class collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one of the great glass collections in America. The Museum is located at 245 West Olney Road in Norfolk and is open Wednesdays, 10 a.m. -9 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays, noon-5 p.m. The Chrysler is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as on major holidays. Admission to the Museum’s permanent collection is free. Special exhibitions may have an admission fee. For exhibitions, programming and special events, visit www.chrysler.org or call (757) 664-6200.