The Springfield Museums is pleased to once again participate in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer. The 2026 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.
“Museums help military families stay connected—to each other, to their communities, and to the nation they serve,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “As our country approaches 250 years of independence, Blue Star Museums provides service members and their loved ones with meaningful opportunities to explore history and spark curiosity. For military families—who often face frequent moves and time apart—these shared museum experiences offer a sense of stability, belonging, and connection. By opening doors nationwide, this program ensures they can engage with the arts and history that reflect their sacrifices and strengthen the bonds that hold them together.”
“Blue Star Museums has opened doors for military families to explore, connect, and feel at home,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we’re proud to continue this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and museums nationwide—welcoming military families into the heart of our nation’s story and celebrating them every step of the way.”
“We are proud to welcome military families to the Springfield Museums through the Blue Star Museums program,” said Springfield Museums President & CEO Kay Simpson. “Service members and their families make extraordinary sacrifices, and we are honored to offer a place where they can relax, learn, and create lasting memories together through art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss. We look forward to sharing a summer filled with discovery, creativity, and fun with those who serve our nation.”
This summer, the Springfield Museums offers an impressive slate of special exhibitions that are not to be missed. Highly interactive, each explores art, history, or science in new ways.
Declaration of Innovation: Springfield’s Revolutionary Ideas
Opening ahead of the 250th anniversary of July 4, 1776, this exhibition explores Springfield’s long history of creativity, invention, and bold thinking from the American Revolution to today. Through interactive experiences, visitors can engage with colonial life, examine the evolution of language through historic dictionaries, and discover how Springfield shaped industry with innovations like interchangeable parts, automobiles, and racing planes. Celebrating the city’s many “firsts,” the exhibition invites guests to explore what it means to be revolutionary. May 16-September 27.
Game On!
A lively, bilingual game room where oversized, interactive challenges turn classic gameplay into full-body fun for the whole family. From life-sized adventures like Candy Quest to fast-paced wordplay and inventive twists on familiar games, each experience encourages communication, collaboration, creativity, and confidence. With activities for all ages—including a dedicated Tot Spot for children under three—the exhibit blends movement, problem-solving, and imagination into one playful environment. May 16-September 13.
Book of Wonder, Cover to Cover: A Hands-on Journey with Donna Castellanos
An immersive exhibition invites visitors into artist Donna Castellanos’s imaginative world, where discarded books become vibrant works of art and interactive experiences celebrate creativity, storytelling, and play. Journey through the Book of Wonder, a multi-chapter environment featuring paper sculptures, immersive spaces, and whimsical installations crafted from salvaged books and found objects. Visitors are encouraged to become part of the exhibition by creating collages, completing portraits, and contributing stories, making each experience uniquely collaborative and creative. Through September 6.
In addition to the Springfield Museums, participants include history, art, and children’s museums, historical sites, botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums, and more, and can be found in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The current list of participating museums will continue to grow as organizations can register to be a Blue Star Museum throughout the summer.
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military—Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps—and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
MassMutual is the season sponsor of the Springfield Museums.