Memorial Day weekend: Cultural deals, celebrations around L.A.

Memorial Day marks the start of the annual Blue Star Museums program, which offers free admission to participating cultural institutions around the country for active duty, National Guard and reserve military personnel and their families.

This year, participating museums in the Los Angeles area include the L.A. County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Norton Simon Museum, Orange County Museum of Art, Bowers Museum, Museum of Latin American Art and the Autry National Center of the American West.

Visitors must present valid military identification, which is good for free admission for the bearer and up to five family members. The Blue Star Museums offer is valid starting Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.

Here’s a map that links to all participating Blue Star museums. The holiday weekend also offers a number of ongoing and special cultural attractions around L.A., some of which are free, some not:

Battleship USS Iowa Museum: The San Pedro institution will hold a special U.S. Military Appreciation Day Celebration on Monday as part of its observance of Memorial Day.

Queen Mary: From Saturday through Monday, the Queen Mary in Long Beach is offering free admission to all retired and active duty military personnel with valid identification. Family members receive a 20% discount.

MOCA: The museum is open regular hours, including Monday. The Grand Avenue location in downtown currently features an exhibition on pop artist Francesco Vezzoli.

Getty Villa: The Pacific Palisades museum will be open on Monday with regular operating hours. As always, admission is free but a timed ticket is required. Parking costs $15 per vehicle.

“Cosi Fan Tutte”: The Los Angeles Philharmonic presents its innovative staging of Mozart’s comic opera at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m., and there will also be performances on the evenings of Thursday and May 31.

Verdi’s “Requiem”: On Monday at 8 p.m., a concert of Verdi’s “Requiem” will take place at the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Hollywood. General seating is $25. Proceeds from this concert will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.