Bedminster’s historic Jacbous Vanderveer House & Museum has been designated a Blue Star Museum, one of more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum is one of 24 Blue Star Museums in New Jersey, and one of only two in Somerset County.
The free admission program is available for up to five family members of those currently serving in the United States Military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as Active Duty and Reservists, National Guardsman (regardless of status), U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps.
“Our history with the nation’s military dates back to the Revolutionary War,” commented Craig Sutherland, President of The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House. “It was here, in the winter of 1778-79, that General Henry Knox made the Vanderveer House his home and headquarters while he commanded the nation’s first artillery training academy on a hillside in nearby Pluckemin. Today, we continue to celebrate the achievements of our nation’s veterans and welcome active duty members of the military and their families to our historic site.”
“As many military families spend the summer months moving from one duty station to another, or reconnecting with a parent who has returned from deployment, Blue Star Museums helps service members and their families create memories,” said Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Blue Star Families has great appreciation for the generosity of the museums across the country who roll out the red carpet for the families who serve alongside their service members. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”
Military families planning a visit to the Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum this summer can enjoy free admission to events including Patriotic Tie Dye, Yoga in the Park, Movie Night in the Park, and Bedminster’s 3rd Annual Field of Honor™ (where they will receive a 3’ x 5’ commemorative flag with a personal message, compliments of The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House). For more information about these summer events, visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org.
About Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums nationwide, including children’s museums, fine arts museums, history and science museums, zoos, and nature centers. The program runs from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, May 26, 2018, through Labor Day, September 3, 2018.
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as Active Duty and Reservists, National Guardsman (regardless of status), 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), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
A list of participating museums nationwide is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. Follow Blue Star Museums on Twitter @NEAarts and @BlueStarFamily, #bluestarmuseums.
About The Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum
The Jacobus Vanderveer House served as headquarters for General Henry Knox during the winter of 1778-79 and is the only surviving building associated with the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment, now recognized as America’s first military training academy and the precursor to The United States Military Academy at West Point. The Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum interprets Dutch colonial life in America as well as the stay by General Knox and his family during the 1778-79 encampment. A National and New Jersey Historic Site, the Jacobus Vanderveer House is a true landmark that offers a vivid look into the history of our country and the lives of those who made it.
Operated by the nonprofit Friends of The Jacobus Vanderveer House (a 501(c)(3) organization) for the past 20 years, the museum is located at 3055 River Road and can be accessed via River Road Park. The Friends sponsor public events throughout the year; for directions and more information, visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more about NEA.
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families builds communities that support military families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions, including career development tools, local community events for families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, Blue Star Families has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5 million military family members. With Blue Star Families, military families can find answers to their challenges anywhere they are. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.
The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
