Free and discounted military museum admission — Blue Star Museums, the Smithsonian, Intrepid, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and more.
Blue Star Museums: free all summer
Each year from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day, the Blue Star Museums program gives active-duty military and their families free admission to thousands of participating museums nationwide. It's seasonal, but it covers an enormous range — art, science, history, and children's museums alike.
Always-free and military museums
Some of the best are free year-round to everyone, including the Smithsonian Institution's museums in Washington. Military and aviation museums — the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Battleship IOWA, and the National Medal of Honor Museum — often offer free or discounted admission to service members and veterans even outside the summer window.
Check the dates and ID
Blue Star runs only in summer and usually covers the service member plus immediate family; year-round military discounts vary by museum. Bring a military ID. Each listing below shows whether admission is free or discounted and who qualifies — and even at free museums, special exhibitions sometimes carry a separate ticket.
20 verified museums discounts
9
9/11 Memorial Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
9/11 Memorial Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
A
Alcatraz East Crime Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Alcatraz East Crime Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
B
B&O Railroad Museum
$3 off admission
✓ Active, Veterans
The B&O Railroad Museum offers free general admission for active duty military, 100% disability rating mili…
B
Battleship IOWA Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Battleship IOWA Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
C
City Museum - St. Louis, MO
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
City Museum - St. Louis, MO offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
D
Discovery Childrens Museum
Save now
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Discovery Childrens Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
I
iMuseum Interactive Exhibits
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
iMuseum Interactive Exhibits offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
I
Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
K
Key West Shipwreck Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Key West Shipwreck Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
L
Lyon Air Museum
$13 admission ticket
✓ Veterans
The museum offers a discounted admission ticket specifically for veterans.
M
MLB Hall of Fame
$25 admission for veterans and free for active duty/retired military
✓ Active, Veterans, Reserves
The Baseball Hall of Fame offers free admission for active duty and 20-year career retired military, and a …
N
National Medal of Honor Museum
Save up to 15%
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
National Medal of Honor Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
P
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Save up to 16%
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
R
Richard Nixon Library & Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Richard Nixon Library & Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
S
Smithsonian Institution
FREE Admission Always
✓ Everyone (including Active, Veterans, Families)
All 19 Smithsonian museums and galleries in Washington D.C. and New York are FREE for everyone — including …
T
The American Prohibition Museum
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
The American Prohibition Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
T
The Mob Museum
Save up to 15%
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
The Mob Museum offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
T
The Museum of Modern Art
Save up to 11%
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
The Museum of Modern Art offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
T
Titanic Museum Attraction - Pigeon Forge
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Titanic Museum Attraction - Pigeon Forge offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
W
Whitney Museum of American Art
Military Discount
✓ Active, Veterans, First Responders
Whitney Museum of American Art offers a military discount via GovX. Verify eligibility at govx.com.
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