FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2016
BLUE STAR MUSEUMS PROGRAM LAUNCHED AT FLORIDA'S RESEARCH RESERVES
~Free admission to
environmental education centers for military personnel and families~
Florida's National Estuarine Research Reserves participate in the Blue Star Museums program.
The Guana
Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve and Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve are proud
participants of the Blue Star Museums program, which offers free admission to
active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and their families
from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The Blue Star Museums program is a collaboration between the National Endowment
for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000
museums across America that provides families an opportunity to enjoy
the nation's cultural heritage.
"We are proud to connect military families with the history and natural
resources of Florida's National Estuarine Research Reserves," said Kevin Claridge, director of the
Florida Coastal Office. "These environmental education centers and exhibit
halls provide an opportunity for individuals of all ages to learn
about the estuarine ecosystems of Florida."
The Guana Tolomato Matanzas Exhibit Hall in Ponte Vedra Beach features aquariums,
habitat exhibits and life-size displays of right whales, birds and fish that
call the estuary home. Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in Naples has more than 3,000 gallons
of aquariums, including a marine-life touch tank that immerses visitors in the
Everglades ecosystem and area's rich history. Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve's Nature Center features a wall-spanning mural alongside
three 1,000-gallon walk-around aquariums that represent the interconnected
habitats of Apalachicola River, Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
Managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Coastal
Office, these environmental education centers are part of the National
Estuarine Research Reserve System network of 28 coastal sites designated to
protect and study estuarine systems. They were established through the Coastal
Zone Management Act and represent a partnership program between the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the coastal states.
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. Blue Star Museums include not only fine arts museums, but also science museums, history
museums, nature centers and dozens of children's museums. To view the complete list of participating museums, click here.
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