Stanley-Whitman House Joins National Blue Star Museums Initiative

At Stanley-Whitman House in Farmington, Connecticut, we recognize that military families have unique experiences—of service, sacrifice, relocation, and resilience. Many are called not just to protect the nation but to live in constant readiness, often apart from loved ones and in unfamiliar places. Their commitment to the values of duty, courage, and public service deserves spaces that invite connection and reflection. Museums like ours—rooted in complex histories—can offer moments of quiet recognition and a chance to explore the evolving ideals of liberty, justice, and belonging that military families help uphold.

Their service takes many forms—defense, humanitarian aid, disaster response, and quiet daily acts of perseverance. Whether stationed across the world or here in New England, military families help uphold civic ideals through lived commitment. At Stanley-Whitman House, we honor that service not with slogans but with storytelling—grounded in history, shaped by complexity, and offered with deep respect.

The Stanley-Whitman House is honored to once again participate in the Blue Star Museums program, a nationwide initiative offering free admission to active-duty U.S. military personnel and their families from Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 17, 2025, through Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2025.

Organized in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums nationwide, the Blue Star Museums program expresses gratitude for the service and sacrifice of military families by connecting them with the cultural and educational treasures found in their communities.

At Stanley-Whitman House, guests are welcomed into an immersive experience of early American life. The historic 1720 homestead and its surrounding period gardens offer a window into Farmington’s colonial past, exploring the everyday realities of Puritan settlers, enslaved individuals, and others whose lives were shaped by the long sweep of conflict and change—from the French and Indian Wars to the American Revolution and the founding of a new republic. The museum acknowledges that this land lies within the ancestral homelands of the Tunxis people, whose ongoing presence calls us to listen with humility rather than speaking for them. The stories we share are many—divergent, sometimes in tension, and always complex. We do not seek to glorify conflict or reduce history to a simple narrative of heroes and villains. Instead, with respect, rigor, and care, we strive to illuminate the lives of those often left untold, inviting all who visit—including veterans, active-duty service members, and their families—to reflect on the layered meanings of service, struggle, and belonging.

“We are honored to open our doors to military families as part of this vital national initiative,” said Andres A. Verzosa, Executive Director and Curator. “As someone raised in a military family—my father served in the U.S. Coast Guard, and we were stationed throughout New England, including Portland, Maine, and Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and as far as Honolulu, Hawai‘i—I know firsthand how meaningful it is to have access to museums, libraries, parks, and cultural spaces that foster connection and discovery. Museums like ours are not only places of history but places of welcome. Blue Star Museums allows us to extend that welcome to those who serve today—and to offer meaningful encounters with the past as we look toward the future.”

As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026, Stanley-Whitman House provides military families with a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the enduring legacy of the American Revolution.

The program is open to all who are currently serving in the United States military—including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps—as well as up to five immediate family members. Visitors must present a valid Geneva Convention Common Access Card (CAC), DD Form 1173, or other approved military identification upon entry. For more information and a complete list of participating institutions, visit https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums.

Stanley-Whitman House (https://www.s-wh.org) is a living history museum and National Historic Landmark located in the heart of historic Farmington, Connecticut. Through educational programs, exhibitions, research, and community engagement, the museum brings to life the stories of colonial and Revolutionary-era Farmington. With a commitment to inclusive, evidence-based interpretation, Stanley-Whitman House amplifies diverse voices and invites visitors to explore the enduring relevance of the past.