The genesis of the museum began with the Vietnam Veterans Art Group (VVAG) which was founded in 1979-1980 by a few artists and volunteers. At the time, traditional galleries and museums were unwilling to exhibit art about the Vietnam War that was considered controversial or sensitive. However, the VVAG convinced a small alternative gallery space to host a temporary exhibit. This first show, Vietnam: Reflexes and Reflections, which opened in October 12, 1981 received 150 visitors a day, well beyond its opening. The artwork was critically acclaimed, drawing thousands of visitors to the small gallery. With this popularity, the VVAG was invited to bring its collection to other cities as a traveling exhibition.

Each time the exhibition was shown in a new city, additional artists were found and the collection grew. The artwork that makes up the museum’s permanent collection has now been exhibited in 15 states at 51 individual shows and several overseas exhibitions.

The museum and collection has had a broad appeal with visitors coming from 31 countries and 46 states.

The museums’ first permeant home was located at 1801 South Indiana Avenue in Chicago’s historic Prairie Avenue District and opened its doors in 1996. After the positive public reception of the first exhibition, this previously abandoned factory warehouse was donated to the museum by the City of Chicago under the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley, along with a grant to begin rehabilitation of the deteriorated structure.

After the building was reclaimed by the City in the spring of 2012, the museum opened its doors to its current home on the 2nd floor of 4041 North Milwaukee Ave, Chicago’s historic Six Corner’s neighborhood on November 11, 2012.

This new location could not permit for the installation of the Above and Beyond exhibition and a collaboration was made with the Chicago Public Library to house the 58, 307 dog tags on the third floor of the Harold Washington Library Center.

The museum which originally housed 700 works of art created by 115 artists who participated as soldiers in the Vietnam War now houses more than 2,000 works from artists that have served in WWII, Korea, the Gulf War and the Global War on Terror. The artists live across the United States as well as Australia, Cambodia, Hungary, Thailand, North and South Vietnam.

In addition to paintings, drawings, photography and sculpture, the museum connects works of literature from writers who served in the military like Kurt Vonnegut and Tim O’Brian to interactive exhibitions where visitors are encouraged to engage with the ideas and concepts that they learn about.