Pearl S. Buck House to Once Again Be A Blue Star Museum

Pearl S. Buck International is proud to announce that the Pearl S. Buck House National Historic Landmark museum, the former home of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author, humanitarian, and social justice activist Pearl S. Buck, will once again be a Blue Star Museum this summer. It will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families.

The 2024 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, 2024, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024. 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.

Blue Star Museums include children’s museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses, and more, and hail from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 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, as well as 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 any participating Blue Star Museum.

“We are grateful to Pearl S. Buck International for participating in this summer’s Blue Star Museums program and we hope military families will take this opportunity to create meaningful, lifelong memories,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Whether you are traveling this summer, getting to know a new duty location, or exploring what your community has to offer, Blue Star Museums is a wonderful opportunity to create connection and find inspiration.”

“Military families love Blue Star Museums, and we couldn’t run this program without the National Endowment for the Arts and the museums across the nation who show they care by participating,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Access to museums enriches military families, creates wonderful family memories, and helps us feel connected to our communities so that we can thrive and do the hard job we have to do for the country. I am delighted for us to launch the 14th year of this very special program.”

The Pearl S. Buck House is open to the public for tours Tuesday–Sunday—the two tour offerings are the traditional Life & Legacy historic house tour and the interactive and dialogic Taking Action tour about Pearl Buck’s forward-thinking human rights advocacy. At this time, reservations are required. For current tour times, prices, and more information, go to: https://pearlsbuck.org/visit-the-pearl-s-buck-house/plan-your-visit/ or call 215-249-0100.

Find the list of all participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.   

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About Pearl S. Buck International
Pearl S. Buck International^® provides opportunities to explore and appreciate other cultures, builds better lives for children around the globe and promotes the legacy of our founder by preserving and interpreting her National Historic Landmark Home.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is the nation’s largest chapter-based military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach fosters strong communities with a focus on human centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered millions of dollars in benefits and impacted more than 1.5 million people each year.

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