The National Veterans Art Museum inspires greater understanding of the real impact of war with a focus on Vietnam. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits art inspired by combat and created by veterans.

Free admission extended! We invite you to visit our new space and are pleased to continue to offer free admission. See you soon!

Exciting Educational Opportunities at the NVAM - Can You Help?

National Veterans Art Museum Launches New Educational Programming

Since 1981, the National Veterans Art Museum has aimed to inspire greater understanding of the real impact of war through the collection, preservation, and exhibition of art inspired by combat and created by veterans. Our mission is to help civilians understand the effects of war and provide veterans with outlets for expression. We've recently expanded our educational programming in exciting ways!

The Things They Carried Interactive Website

In collaboration with area high school students, the National Veterans Art Museum is preparing to launch an interactive website for its extraordinarily popular exhibition The Things They Carried. This redesigned site will feature audio, video and high resolution images of art and artifacts in the show, along with historical context of each object and its connection to the war; the object’s relationships to other artwork in the museum; and the object’s connection to other objects soldiers carried—physically and emotionally—during and after the war.

Chicago Summer of Learning

We're also very pleased to participate in the Chicago Summer of Learning, a citywide effort to engage young people in hands-on learning. The digital badges created as part of the Chicago Summer of Learning will eventually be turned into highly interactive apps that students visiting the museum year-round can use to engage with the art, history and civics lessons the museum has to offer.

Student Feedback

The National Veterans Art Museum frequently works with Chicago Public Schools and students from other schools and universities to offer an enlightening experience about veterans, war, and the impact of war.

“Thank you for allowing us to hear your story. It was amazing and different. It was unexpected. Seeing the items that you had to carry was intense. I could never do it.”
--Sheri-Ann, high school student

“Hearing your stories about the war gave me chills because of how real it felt. You gave me a new view on war and the reality.”
--Einam, high school student

“Your pictures and art really hit to the heart for the story it tells of who you are, not just a soldier but a man, and I know this must be a cliché, but you’re a real hero.”
--Danyal, high school student

Your Support Means Student Opportunities

In order to continue our mission and increase our educational outreach, we need the support of donors like you. Consider making a donation of $10, $20, $50, $100 or more so we can continue offering inspiring educational opportunities. Your donation is essential to our success and truly makes a difference.

Donate Now

You can also make a donation by sending a check to 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641 or by calling us at (312) 326-0270. Want to learn more? Check out our Chicago Summer of Learning page, or connect with us on these social media sites:

Current Exhibit: Tenacity and Truth: People, Places and Memories

TenacityWeb On Saturday, May 25, 2013, the National Veterans Art Museum honored Memorial Day (May 27) with the Opening Reception of our newest exhibition, Tenacity and Truth: People, Places and Memories, a curated exhibit from the permanent collection.

Curated by Vietnam Veteran artist and chairman of the board, Mike Helbing, Tenacity and Truth will feature artworks that have not been shown in ten years or more, some never-before-seen pieces, and of course a number of our best-known artworks.

The National Veterans Art Museum returns to its roots with this new exhibit, Tenacity and Truth: People, Places and Memories, showcasing works from the permanent collection. It features work that was created by artists both trained and untrained who share in the overwhelming need to express their experiences through a visual language and explores the creative process behind veteran art.

Curator Mike Helbing says of putting together this exhibit: “The difficulty was not in trying to find works to show, but in fact having to choose among them all. With more than 2,500 pieces in the permanent collection, I had the honor of choosing artwork that explores people, places and memories of service. These pieces serve as records of experience archived in a visual discourse. Subjects range from the adrenaline and anguish of combat to the thoughts and memories of the people to the shaping power of place. Boredom and quotidian experiences of war are represented in some. Mental strain and slippery realities appear in others. There is beauty and there is torment. Ultimately there is change. Then comes the reality of surviving the experience and finding out how different “now-you” is compared to “then-you” and how apart you are from those that were left behind in the world.”

Schedule of Events: The museum invites the public to join us for artist talks and light refreshments from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, and also to stop by on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, as we will remain open in honor of the holiday. Both events are Free and Open to the Public.

Please note: in order to prepare for this new show, the NVAM will be closed to the public from May 12 through May 24. You can always visit the art in our collection through the NVAM Collection Online!

See Photos from Opening Reception

Read Press Release

National Veterans Art Museum Launches CAN TV Television Show

MarchCan We are pleased to join Chicago Access Network Television's Veterans Consortium for a monthly TV show, "Veteran Arts on Air," hosted by Melvin A. Lyons.

You can find us on channel 21 on the first Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. or stream the show live.

Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV) gives every Chicagoan a voice on cable television by providing video training, equipment, facilities, and channel time for Chicago residents and nonprofit groups. CAN TV’s five local, non-commercial channels reach one million viewers in the city of Chicago.

Stream the show live here!

Current Exhibit: Not About Bombs

Not About Bombs opened at the National Veterans Art Museum on Saturday, March 9, 2013 with a reception from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Curated by Tricia Khutoretsky, Not About Bombs addresses how a female perspective can fit into the modern context of turmoil and conflict through art and avoid falling into the typical ways that women are represented and misrepresented.

The women in this exhibit contribute art that is visually and conceptually accomplished, but unpredictable and emotionally engaging. Because if anything, as a long, drawn-out, mind-numbing war comes to a “close,” emotional investments in Iraq are few and far between.

This exhibit will not be what you expect. It is about war. It is about Iraq. But it presents contemporary art by Iraqi women to deliberately explore and challenge expectations.

Featured Artists: Sundus Abdul Hadi, Tamara Abdul Hadi, Julie Adnan, Dena Al-Adeeb, and Sama Alshaibi

See photos from Opening Reception

See video of Panel Discussion

Current Exhibit: The Things They Carried

Inspired by Tim O'Brien's book, The Things They Carried, this exhibit serves as a visual companion to illustrate the narrative with fine art and photography, from veterans that lived the stories in the novel.

Download Gallery Guide