PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Military Families visit museums for free this summer as part of Blue Star Museums
In an initiative to honor and connect military families with cultural institutions, the Blue Star Museums program will open its doors once again this summer. Active-duty military members and their families can visit participating museums for free, beginning on Armed Forces Day, May 17, 2025, and continuing through Labor Day, September 1, 2025.
This program, organized by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in collaboration with Blue Star Families (BSF) and the Department of Defense, encompasses a wide variety of museums across the United States, including history, art, and children’s museums, as well as botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums. Families can explore these cultural institutions to create lasting memories and connect with America’s rich heritage.
Mary Anne Carter, Senior Advisor for the NEA, expressed the organization’s commitment to the military community: “The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to help connect military service members and their families with their communities through the Blue Star Museums program.” She emphasized the importance of museums in enabling military families to celebrate America’s history and culture.
The Blue Star Museums program has been a vital resource for military families for 15 years. Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families, stated, “Thanks to our continued partnership with the NEA and participating museums nationwide, we’re proud to continue this tradition of belonging and enrichment.” She highlighted how museums act as welcoming spaces for military families.
A diverse array of notable institutions are included in this year’s program, ranging from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and the Heard Museum in Phoenix to smaller venues like the Palmer Historical Society in Alaska and Billings Farm & Museum in Vermont. For more details about participating…
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In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of contemporary art, few emerging embody the term “interdisciplinary” with the same authenticity and technical prowess as Eleanor Katie Holliday. Known professionally as Ellie, she operates at the confluence of light, sound, structure, and story, crafting immersive experiences that transcend traditional artistic boundaries. From designing multimedia installations at prestigious New York galleries to shaping the audio-visual identity of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and from composing for global platforms like Audible to going viral with millions of views on TikTok, Holliday is not merely participating in the artistic dialogue—she is actively redefining its language for a new generation.
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Aesthetic Excellence
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Emotional Range
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Tianzhuo, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?
My story starts in Beijing when I was three years old, crying over Patrick Swayze’s character going to heaven in Ghost while watching HBO. My mom was a journalist and TV news producer, so I was exposed to media from a very young age. That early emotional connection to cinema planted the seed for everything that followed.
In high school, I ran a movie appreciation club and organized watch parties, which is when I started seriously dreaming about making films. The leap from Beijing to California was huge – I was accepted into ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena and flew 12 hours to pursue my dream. After that, I attended Chapman University’s Dodge College, where I learned the craft of editing and made several award-winning short films.
My breakthrough came with my thesis film, “Drifting Boat,” about an elderly Chinese immigrant struggling to connect with her granddaughter. We shot it in Glendale, and it premiered at TCL Chinese Theatre. The film went on to win six festival awards and opened many doors for me in the documentary space.
One of…
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