OGDENSBURG -- The Frederic Remington Art Museum will participate as a Blue Star Museum.

The program is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America to 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.

“The program also provides families an opportunity to enjoy the nation's cultural heritage and learn more about their new communities after a military move,” a prepared statement from the Remington says.

The complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“The Blue Star Museums program is a fun, free activity for military families to enjoy during the summer months,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “The program is also a great way for service member families to connect to their new communities, and it can provide a meaningful way for families to reconnect after deployment. The Blue Star Museums program is also a perfect way for the arts community to say ‘thank you’ to our service members and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf, every day.”

“Blue Star Museums has grown into a nationally recognized program that service members and their families look forward to each year,” said Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet. “It helps bring our local military and civilian communities together, and offers families fun and enriching activities in their home towns. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”

This year, more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative.

This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers and dozens of children’s museums.

Among this year’s new participants are the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Ark., the Children's Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, N.H., the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in Pacific Grove, Calif., the Rochester Museum & Science Center in Rochesterand El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history museum in Santa Fe, N.M.