The Bayou Teche is offering free admission to military personnel until September.The museum is a member of the Blue Star Museum program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The initiative is an attempt to incentivize military personnel across the country to engage with the communities they are stationed in. Director of the museum Marcia Patout said the Bayou Teche Museum has been part of the program since 2012. “It’s just a way of honoring people who serve in the military by offering them this,” Patout said. “We actually had two families come in Saturday. This year’s program began Saturday (Armed Forces Day) and will end on Sept. 5 (Labor Day). Free admission is available for those in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard as well as the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps and up to five family members. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration of the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. The program provides families an opportunity to enjoy the nation’s cultural heritage and learn more about their new communities after a military move. The complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

The Bayou Teche Museum serves as the flagship museum for New Iberia, and offers exhibits about the history, culture, agriculture of Iberia Parish.The museum is currently in construction of its Doc Voorhies Wing, which will vastly expand the offerings the museum currently has, including a new exhibit dedicated to former governor and Iberia Parish native Kathleen Blanco. Current exhibits include information about the Civil War, education, politics, culture, music, James Lee Burke and much more. The museum recently held its annual Night at the Museum gala which serves as its primary fundraiser for upkeep of the museum, where live and silent auctions as well as catering were on hand for dedicated museum patrons to enjoy a night out while also supporting the museum. Located in downtown New Iberia, the Bayou Teche Museum was opened in 2010 and has the stated goal of educating visitors of all ages on the forces that have shaped, and continue to shape, the people of the Bayou Teche region.