See artwork by veterans on Des Plaines History Center trip

The Des Plaines History Center invites people to join a trip to the National Veterans Art Museum Saturday, Nov. 23, to learn more about soldiers’ experiences through viewing an extensive collection of veterans’ artistry.

The group will meet Historic Adventures coordinators Janet Thompson and Dr. William Grice at the Des Plaines History Center at 10 a.m. Participants may carpool to and from the museum, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood, where they will enjoy a tour of the museum and time to view the exhibits.

The museum holds more than 2,500 works of art, including paintings, photography, sculpture, poetry, and music that more than 250 American veterans have created.

“Every artist brings his or her unique perspective to their creative works,” said Thompson, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. “To see works of art created by veterans will help people appreciate their sacrifices and begin to understand how their experiences deeply influenced their lives.”

After the museum visit, the group will enjoy a lunch at the Norridge Red Lobster and return to Des Plaines at about 4 p.m.

Advanced reservations are required, and the cost of tickets is $18, $15 for current Des Plaines History Center members or $10 for kids ages 4-12.

To register, call the History Center at (847) 391-5399 by 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. More information is available online at desplaineshistory.org.

“We first learned about the National Veterans Art Museum from a member of the Des Plaines History Center who regularly attends Historic Adventures,” Grice said.

“The museum — in its new and present location — is only a year old. Being November, the month of Veterans Day, we thought this would be an appropriate museum to visit to honor all of our veterans.”

The Historic Adventure program series at the History Center is open to the public and has been active since 2009, with all-new scheduled trips each year. Past trips have taken Adventurers around the Chicago area and to Wisconsin and Indiana.

The Des Plaines History Center, a nonprofit organization since 1968, specializes in collecting and preserving information and objects relating to the history of Des Plaines and making those collections accessible to the public through programs, exhibits, and a local history archives.

For information, call (847) 391-5399 or visit www.desplaineshistory.org.