PRESS RELEASE
The Museum of Flight honors Memorial Day on May 24 with a concert of patriotic music and a special program focusing on the experience of Japanese Americans during World War II. The Boeing Employees Concert Band performs for an hour at 11 a.m., and at 2 p.m. members from the Nisei Veterans Committee (NVC) in Seattle will bring history to life by sharing stories of resilience, sacrifice and courage for those who served in the U.S. military during the War and those who did not. Many of the stories unfolded in the Pacific Northwest and across the West Coast.
Japanese Americans in WWII – A Legacy of Valor
From the unjust internment of thousands of Japanese American citizens to the heroism of the all-Japanese American Army units that fought with unparalleled dedication, this era left a lasting imprint on American history. This moving and insightful program shares personal stories to show how these events shaped cultural and social legacies that remain deeply relevant today.
Free Admission for Active Military Through the Blue Star Museums Program
The Museum of Flight is part of the Blue Star Museums program, a program offering free admission to currently serving military personnel and their families (up to five family members) this summer from Armed Forces Day, May 17 through Labor Day, Sept. 1. The Museum will offer free admission to veterans all Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26.
This Blue Star Museums 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, 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 a participating Blue Star Museum.
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. For a list of participating museums, visit arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Founded in 1965, the independent, nonprofit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, annually serving over 600,000 visitors. The Museum’s collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to today’s 787 Dreamliner. Attractions at the 23-acre, 5-building Seattle campus include the original Boeing Company factory, the NASA Space Shuttle Trainer, Air Force One, Concorde, Lockheed Blackbird and Apollo Moon rockets. In addition to the Seattle campus adjacent to King County International Airport, the Museum also has its 3-acre Restoration Center and Reserve Collection at Paine Field in Everett (not currently open to the public).
With a foundation of aviation history, the Museum is also a hub of news and dialogue with leaders in the emerging field of private spaceflight ventures. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum’s onsite and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
