Exhibition of 66 full-color oil portraits and a four-panel mural painted by former President George W. Bush of service members and veterans since 9/11.
Portraits of Courage is on view at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus through December 31, 2026. It's an exhibition of more than 60 original portraits of post-9/11 service members and veterans, all hand-painted by former President George W. Bush. The collection includes 66 full-color oil portraits and a four-panel mural, together depicting 98 service members and veterans who have served since 9/11. The portraits are on loan from the Ambassador and Mrs. George L. Argyros Collection of Presidential Art at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
The work grew out of President Bush's own outreach and the George W. Bush Institute's Veteran and Military Families program, which helps post-9/11 veterans and their families transition to civilian life and addresses veteran wellness, including PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The Institute's Veteran Wellness Alliance runs Check-In, a user-friendly tool that connects veterans with compassionate mental and brain health care. The portraits themselves depict service members the former president has come to know personally since leaving office.
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It's a large collection to take in—nearly a hundred faces across the oil paintings and the mural—and the museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission to the exhibition is included in general admission to the museum, so you can see it as part of a full visit. The show runs through December 31, 2026, so there's plenty of time to fit it in.
Date
29 October – 31 December
10:00
Price
Paid
Recommended Age
+14 years
