Three Presidential Libraries In Texas Offer Military Families Free Summer Admission

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families, from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2016.

The Bush Library is joining the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin and the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas in so honoring military families.

“We are honored to be able to give back to those who have served this great nation and their families for their service and sacrifice to our country,” said Warren Finch, director of the Bush Library. “The Bush Presidential Library is proud to be part of such a great program that honors our veterans and their families. The Bush Library offers year-round free admission to active duty military and up to five family members. Presidential Libraries and Museums give people the opportunity to not only learn about the life of a President, but to also see history unfold and the events that shaped our lives and history. The Bush Presidential Library and Museum is particularly proud to be a part of the Blue Star Museum initiative.”

The current exhibit, Driven to Drive: Defining Our Identity, is the story of the automobile told through historical objects, interactive media, and hands-on displays, highlighting cars beginning with the 1950s through the present and into the future. In addition, there will be short-term displays and events that focus on other historically significant and popular cars throughout the run of the exhibit. There will be a speakers series based on the automobile theme and the Education Department will focus on related topics for programs and summer camps. The exhibit ends Jan. 8, 2017.

The LBJ Library has two temporary exhibits. Vietnam: Evidence of War showcases the rich archival resources available at The University of Texas at Austin’s Briscoe Center for American History and explores one of the most complicated, contested, and painful wars in our nation’s past.  Evidence of War reflects an impressive array of unique sources for exploring the viewpoints of soldiers and veterans, politicians and constituents, reporters and photojournalists, advocates and protesters. The exhibit also displays valuable sources for research on how the war was reflected in art, music, and popular culture. Open through July 31.

Vietnam: Turning Points of the War takes a brief look at this complex history through the lens of presidential decision-making. The choices made by six American presidents—Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford—played a major role in the establishment, the stability, and ultimately, the fall of South Vietnam. Grounded in the Cold War mentality that the United States must stop the expansion of communism at any price, these men, each in his own way, fundamentally changed the course of American and Vietnamese history. Open through June 26.

The special exhibit at the George W. Bush Library in Dallas, Path to the Presidency, gives visitors an interactive look into past presidential campaigns, the changing face of the American electorate, and a glimpse at life on the campaign trail. Open through Oct. 9.

Free admission to all three museums is available now and continues through Sept. 5, to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card. This includes active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. A family member of active duty military may include a spouse or child, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.

The free admission benefit is called Blue Star Museums and is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums of all types in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa. The complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

The mission of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is to preserve and make available the records and artifacts of George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States. The staff at the library works to promote civic literacy and increased historical understanding of our national experience, and foster a community of public service and volunteerism. Located on the campus of Texas A&M University – a premier public Tier 1 research university and home to more than 50,000 students – the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is part of the National Archives and Records Administration’s Presidential Libraries system.

The Bush Library is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with the exceptions of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The museum is fully handicapped accessible. For more information, call 979-691-4000 or go to bush41.org.