08/27/2026
We’re excited to see Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II coming to the New York State Museum!
This fascinating exhibit tells the story of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the remarkable soldiers who used creativity, ingenuity, and deception to help protect Allied forces during World War II.
📅 Opening September 5
📍 New York State Museum – West Gallery
🎟️ Free admission
A unique chapter of American military history well worth exploring!
Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II is coming to the New York State Museum!
Opening Saturday, September 5, Ghost Army explores the story of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a top-secret unit that used art, engineering, sound, and showmanship to protect Allied troops across Europe.
Armed with nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns, the Ghost Army used inflatable rubber tanks, fabricated radio transmissions, recorded sound effects, and carefully staged visual illusions to convince enemy forces that large American combat units were stationed where they were not. The unit trained in Northern New York before deploying to Europe and included future celebrated artists and native New Yorkers such as Ellsworth Kelly and Art Kane.
📆 On View: September 5 through December 27
💲 Free
📍 NYSM West Gallery
