Blue Star Museum Continues
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rockwell Museum of Western Art
111 Cedar Street, Corning, NY 14830
Date: October 27, 2010
Contact: Beth Manwaring � 607.974.4254 � manwaringb@rockwellmuseum.org
Corning, New York -The Rockwell Museum of Western Art is pleased to announce the continuation of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families. Blue Star Museums launched the campaign at the beginning of this summer with 700 museums across the nation running the promotion through Labor Day 2011. The Rockwell Museum of Western Art is continuing the promotion indefinitely as a way to recognize
the military family's service. Families can visit www.rockwellmuseum.org for Museum hours.
"The Rockwell Museum of Western Art is pleased to thank our military personnel and their families for their service and sacrifice," said Rockwell Museum Executive Director, Kristin A. Swain. "I cannot imagine a better way to do that than by encouraging them to explore and enjoy the heritage of American art that the Museum's collection represents. We hope the exhibitions of American Western and Native American art will ignite a spirit of exploration and imagination in our visitors."
As a public cultural institution, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art has a responsibility to remain accessible to its constituents. The Museum will launch the "Free Sundays" promotion beginning November 7, 2010, which will run through April 24, 2011. As a gift to the community, the "FREE Sunday's" admission program includes all of the Museum's galleries and exhibitions. Of course, Kids & Teens (19 and under), always are free.
"Our goal is to make it easy for our neighbors and visitors to experience what we have to offer," says Swain.
Swain encourages area residents to take advantage of the "FREE Sundays" promotion to get reacquainted with the Museum.
"Many people have seen the Museum before. But there always is something new to see. Our special exhibition galleries change frequently and we also rotate the pieces on display in our permanent galleries several times each year. Visitors always will find something here they haven't seen before," Swain explains.
On Monday, November 8, the Museum will host Founder's Day in celebration of the birthday of the Museum's late founding collector, Robert "Bob" F. Rockwell. The Museum will offer free admission all day to visitors as a way to honor the legacy of the late founding collector. The Museum is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and more information can be found at www.rockwellmuseum.org.
Blue Star Museums details
Blue Star Museums will run indefinitely at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention Common Access Card (CAC), a DD Form 1173, or a DD Form 1173-1, which includes active duty military and five immediate family members, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserve. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. 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.
This is the latest Arts Endowment program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, Great American Voices Military Base Tour, and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.
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, children, 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 provide avenues for the larger community to show that it does 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 (NEA)
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts - both new and established - bringing the arts to all Americans, and to 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 Rockwell Museum of Western Art
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art is located in the center of the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York Sate and in the heart of Corning's Gaffer District. The Museum is open to the public seven days a week; hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. every day. Annual Membership to the Museum includes free admission. For more information, please visit us online at www.rockwellmuseum.org.
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