Saturday, November 1, 2025

10:30am - 12:30pm CST

Harold Washington Library Center
400 S State St, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60605

Join us for the closing ceremony of Above and Beyond, an extraordinary installation that honors all 58,307 American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Created by veteran artists, each dog tag was hand-stamped over two years using an authentic military Graphotype machine and arranged chronologically by date of death.

Suspended from the ceiling, these tags transform the third floor entryway of the Harold Washington Library Center into a sanctuary of remembrance.

This ceremony marks your final chance to experience one of the most moving war memorials before its deinstallation at the end of this year.

Join veteran artists, Gold Star families, and community members as we honor these lives and the power of art to preserve memory. 

Thursday, November 6, 2025

5:00pm CST

Cole 100
Northern Illinois University
Pick Museum of Anthropology
1425 W. Lincoln Highway
DeKalb, IL 60115

Marine Corps veteran and National Veterans Art Museum Executive Director Giselle Futrell and Director of Programs and Exhibitions, Moki Tantoco explore how military experience shapes artistic expression across generations. From Vietnam-era founding members to contemporary veteran artists, this conversation reveals how those who have served use their creative voices to process conflict, navigate transition, and contribute to our broader cultural understanding of resilience and renewal.

Reception of NIU’s Pick Museum of Anthropology’s current exhibition How We Rebuild to follow lecture.

Saturday, November 8, 2025

10:00am - 12:00 pm CST

National Veterans Art Museum
4041 N. Milwaukee Ave, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60641

Head to the National Veterans Art Museum before open hours to learn printmaking techniques to create handmade cards to bring cheer to veterans and their families receiving care at Jesse Brown VA and military-connected kids served by Kids Rank.

Imagine moving to a new town every year...many military families struggle to feel at home after moving around to different bases around the world. Using the exhibitions for inspiration, your family will create handmade block-print cards to help welcome military families into our community. Your work at this project provides a sense of community support and appreciation for military members in our Chicago community.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Extended Open Hours
10:00am- 7:00pm

National Veterans Art Museum
4041 N. Milwaukee Ave, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60641

The National Veterans Art Museum will be open for extended hours on Veterans Day. Come in to spend a peaceful moment honoring veteran stories by viewing veteran created art. Exhibitions include Strength & Fragility, an exhibition of work by NVAM Artist Fellow Jenn Hassin, The Things They Carried, and a new rotation of artwork from NVAM’s permanent collection, including prints by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and the new NVAM Open Studios.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

5:00 - 8:00pm CST

NVision Art Gallery
Located in the
Niles Family Fitness Center
987 Civic Center Dr
Niles, IL 60714

In partnership with the Niles Arts and Culture Council, the National Veterans Art Museum is proud to announce the opening of Memory Triggers, an exhibition curated by NVAM artist, Ned B. Ricks (Major, Retired US Army).