Rough Riders Museum Joins Blue Star

The National Endowment for the Arts has listed Tampa’s Rough Riders Museum in the 2026 Blue Star Museums program, adding the Ybor City site to a national roster that offers free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families. The 2026 program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, according to the agency. The Rough Riders Museum is operated by the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment – Rough Riders, Inc., a Tampa nonprofit that says it preserves the history of Theodore Roosevelt and the regiment. The museum says its headquarters and exhibition space are at 601 N. 19th St. in Tampa. ### When does the free-admission window start and end? The National Endowment for the Arts said on May 13 that the 2026 Blue Star Museums season will run from May 16 through September 7. The agency describes Blue Star Museums as a partnership with Blue Star Families that provides free admission to active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve, and their families. (arts.gov) Blue Star Families says the program operates each year from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day and typically includes more than 2,000 participating institutions. The 2026 NEA program page says museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories are participating. ### What is the Rough Riders Museum in Tampa? The Rough Riders Museum says it offers a collection focused on the 1898 Rough Riders and Theodore Roosevelt memorabilia. (arts.gov) The organization says it was founded in 1978 to create a living memorial to Roosevelt and members of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. The museum’s website says the organization’s regimental headquarters at 601 N. 19th Street houses the museum, meeting facilities, float barn and administrative offices. (bluestarfam.org) The site says tours are available at no cost and are led by volunteer staff. ### How do military families use the Blue Star benefit there? The Rough Riders Museum says visits are by appointment rather than walk-in general admission. (tamparoughriders.org) Its museum page says appointments are available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the organization’s home page lists Monday-through-Friday hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., indicating visitors should confirm current hours directly before going. The NEA’s Blue Star Museums map tells visitors to check each organization’s website for current hours and operating status before planning a trip. The Rough Riders Museum lists a phone number and email for scheduling on its site. ### Who qualifies for the program? The National Endowment for the Arts says the free-admission program applies to actively serving military members and their families. (tamparoughriders.org) The agency’s initiative page specifies that the program includes active-duty personnel in the National Guard and Reserve. Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, said in the agency’s May 13 release that museums help military families stay connected “to each other, to their communities, and to the nation they serve.” Kathy Roth-Douquet, chief executive of Blue Star Families, said the program has “opened doors for military families to explore, connect, and feel at home.” (arts.gov) (arts.gov) ### Where can people confirm that the museum is participating? The National Endowment for the Arts says its 2026 Blue Star Museums map is updated as museums register through the summer. The agency says additional organizations will be added weekly and directs visitors to arts.gov’s Blue Star Museums pages for the current list. The Rough Riders Museum’s own website says visitors can reserve a tour online or schedule by phone or email. (arts.gov) The next key date in the Blue Star program is Saturday, May 16, when the 2026 free-admission period opens nationwide. (tamparoughriders.org) (arts.gov)