FORT PIERCE – Families using SNAP or EBT benefits will soon enjoy reduced admission to the Manatee Observation and Education Center, thanks to a unanimous vote Sept. 16 by the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority board to join the national Museums for All program.
Manatee Center Manager Jessica Barclay introduced the request that afternoon by describing a different program the museum had already joined and her goal of utilizing both entities to bring national recognition to both the museum and the region as a whole.
“This initiative is attempting to put Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County on the cultural map,” she said. “This is expanding access for Fort Pierce families, and there are two national initiatives. The first is Blue Star Museums – the Manatee Center is already enrolled – [which] offers free admission for active-duty military families during the summer. The Manatee Center joins over 2,000 museums nationwide to offer this program. It’s easy, there’s no cost [and] it’s going to bring new visitors to Fort Pierce.”…