New Exhibit: “From War to Peace: World War II Opportunity, Postwar Domesticity”

The Memorial’s newest exhibit, From War to Peace: World War II Opportunity, Postwar Domesticity, debuts Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Veterans Day. An homage to the women of World War II, the exhibit juxtaposes the critical role millions of women played during the war with the postwar expectation of a return to traditional gender roles.

Bringing together conventional and unconventional items, the artist, Vivian Cavalieri, creates three-dimensional miniature scenes she calls assemblages that draw the viewer into this World War II women’s world of contradictions – thus the title From War to Peace: World War II Opportunity, Postwar Domesticity. Featuring eleven assemblages, the exhibit showcases trailblazing, barrier breaking World War II women like the Code Girls, the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, Women Airforce Service Pilots, and others who made critical contributions to the war effort; and who, following the war, ‘happily’ return to domestic roles.

Vivian Cavalieri is a self-taught conceptual artist. A Harvard University art history major, she transitioned to the New York University School of Law when she concluded she couldn’t paint or draw well. Before returning to her art, Ms. Cavalieri practiced law for the next 20 years in New York and Washington, DC. Ms. Cavalieri skillfully transforms the items she uses in her unique assemblages into visual narratives or commentary that speak to topics such as immigration, climate change, human-animal interactions, and social justice. Her studio is in Chincoteague, Virginia. In speaking about her art, Ms. Cavalieri says her aim “is to spark a deeper appreciation for the shared human experiences that bind us – tales of resilience and hope that transcend borders and time.”

Free and open to the public, From War to Peace: World War II Opportunity, Postwar Domesticity will be on exhibit at the Memorial until May 2026.

From time to time, the Memorial may need to close for special circumstances. We’ll also be closed on designated holidays so our team can spend time with loved ones.

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