A new art exhibit, National Veterans Art Museum Chicago: 30 Years, opens February 27, 2026, in the 3rd Floor Gallery of Harold Washington Library Center. Featuring multimedia artwork by American military veterans, National Veterans Art Museum Chicago: 30 Years marks the 30th anniversary of the museum’s founding. The exhibition is part of the Chicago Public Library’s 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of the United States.
The National Veterans Art Museum began as a traveling exhibition in 1980. In 1996, the Museum gained its first permanent home on Indiana Avenue after then-Mayor Richard M. Daley encountered Above and Beyond and recognized its profound impact. Now located at 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave in Portage Park, the National Veterans Art Museum preserves and presents art created by veterans of the Vietnam War and other U.S. military conflicts. Through photo reproductions, National Veterans Art Museum Chicago: 30 Years brings these works to the library, offering patrons an opportunity to engage with this legacy through the lens of those most impacted by it.
National Veterans Art Museum Chicago: 30 Years will be on display in the 3rd Floor Gallery of Harold Washington Library Center from February 27, 2026, to June 1, 2026.