CITGO Provides Free Admission to More Than 1,000 Museums on Smithsonian Magazine's 6th Annual Museum Day

Editor Note:  Georgia has many museums participating in this wonderful event.  To see the list of 40 museums across our great state who are part of this wonderful excursion into history, click http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-search/?state=Georgia .

/PRNewswire/ -- CITGO Petroleum Corp. and its network of local marketers and retailers are proud to continue their support of Smithsonian Magazine's 6th Annual Museum Day. On Sep. 25, 2010, more than 1,000 participating museums and cultural institutions across the country will open their doors free of charge. As a supporting sponsor of this program, CITGO encourages people to visit a local museum or historical site to help keep history and culture alive.

"CITGO and our network of local marketers and retailers are committed to historical preservation, scientific advancement and cultural education in each of the local communities we serve," said Gustavo Velasquez, vice president of supply and marketing with CITGO. "As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CITGO brand this year, we look back at the milestones and events that have helped shape who we are and the people we serve. The Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day is a great way for local families to join us in celebrating this rich history."

More than 1,000 museums, galleries and historical sites will open their doors free of charge on Sep. 25, including the network of 19 Smithsonian museums and 168 affiliate museums. Families can experience a wide range of fascinating institutions at no charge, including the Boston Children's Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Miami Zoo and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. To accesses a local attraction for free, visitors can simply go to www.SmithsonianMag.com/MuseumDay and print an admission ticket. Across 27 states and the District of Columbia, the network of nearly 6,500 locally owned CITGO stations will help families fuel their day as they learn about the history and culture that has made America great.

"We know that many families are looking for value these days. We are pleased to be able to give our customers a great way to make memories without having to spend a lot of money," added Gustavo Velasquez.

CITGO is joined in their support of the Smithsonian Magazine's 6th Annual Museum Day by its network of local marketers and retailers. In alignment with the social development principles of the CITGO shareholder, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, CITGO marketers and retailers support a wide range of charity and educational programs in local communities across the country.



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National Postal Museum Depicts Rural Postal Delivery in New Online Collection

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum has launched “Bringing the World Home,” another featured collection on its award-winning Web site Arago. It is the story of the development, implementation and growth of the Rural Free Delivery service and its impact on rural America; the collection is at http://www.arago.si.edu/flash/?eid=342|s1=6|.

The Post Office Department established the nation’s first free mail delivery service in 1863. It began in 44 northern cities and spread across the country following the Civil War. Even as the new service grew, it remained available only to urban dwellers. Providing this service to rural areas became a congressional and national debate. In 1896, funds were allocated for a limited test in West Virginia. The service caught on and petitions of encouragement and support flooded Congress.

Arago is dedicated to the online presentation of the museum’s vast collections and contains high-resolution images and associated stories presented by curators, expert volunteer researchers, museum staff and guest writers. Since the image of a woman first appeared on a U.S. postage stamp in 1893, the U.S. Postal Service has represented female politicians, social activists, educators, artists, business women and performers on more than 200 stamps.

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, please call (202) 633-1000 or TTY (202) 633-5285. Visit the museum Web site at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

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