Beginning Monday, active military personnel and their families can receive free admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum.

The special offer is part of the Blue Star Museums program, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

More than 1,300 museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa are participating in the program, including 500 new museums.

"The Blue Star Museum program is a small way of saying thank you to all the men and women who selflessly serve our country," says MAM director Daniel Keegan.

"This program is a wonderful way to give back to those who sacrifice so much for us while providing them an opportunity to experience all the museum has to offer."

The museum will also extend its hours during the summer and will be open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Thursdays) until Labor Day.