Program provides free entry to Montgomery Parks’ museums for U.S. military personnel and family members
WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks’ Josiah Henson Museum and Park and Woodlawn Museum will participate in programs offering free admission for U.S. military personnel and their families through the National Blue Star Museum program. The 2026 program celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, beginning on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, 2026, and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026. Service members must present their military I.D. card to receive free entry for up to five family members.
“Montgomery Parks is proud to participate in the Blue Star Museum program so that more people can visit our museums,” said Shirl Spicer, Montgomery Parks cultural resources museums supervisor. “This program is a wonderful way to honor members of our military and the families who support them.”
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.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park is on the site of a former plantation where Reverend Josiah Henson was enslaved. The museum and park tell the story of slavery in Maryland, Henson’s struggles, his escape to freedom, and his work on the Underground Railroad helping others escape enslavement. Henson’s autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s landmark abolitionist novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park is a 79-acre park located in Sandy Spring, Md. It is home to the Woodlawn Museum, located in a historic 19th-century stone barn. The Woodlawn Museum’s three floors of self-guided exhibits tell the story of Woodlawn’s 19th-century residents, Montgomery County’s agricultural history, enslaved and free Black communities, the Quaker experience, and the Underground Railroad.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages 416 parks and more than 37,000 acres of parkland. Our parks, programs, and facilities promote physical activity, social connection, and environmental stewardship. As part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery Parks is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible park experiences. M-NCPPC has been stewarding public lands since 1927 and has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services. MontgomeryParks.org
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
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