Exhibits & Galleries

Experience the exhibits at the Putnam. There are several different exhibits from the museum. Two are of kids enjoying the Science Center, two are of ancient artifacts in the World Culture Gallery and one is a zebra from the Hall of Mammals.

EXHIBIT HOURS
Mon – Sat: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun: Noon – 5 p.m.

MUSEUM STORE HOURS
Mon – Sat: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun: Noon – 5 p.m.

Purchase Tickets

Explore Our Vast Collection of Stunning Artifacts

We exist to preserve our region’s treasures, educate people of all ages in unique and lasting ways, and connect people to each other as they experience science, history, cultures, and environments throughout time and across the globe. The Putnam brings to life a sense of place, time and purpose to ignite human potential and inspire our diverse community to learn about and care for our world and all its people. 

At the heart of everything we do is our collection. With over 250,000 artifacts our exhibits are constantly changing. Our curators and our Quad City community work together to create exhibits that celebrate our diversity and the relevancy of our collection across cultural groups. We couldn’t be more proud of our work and can’t wait for you to explore!

HISTORY GALLERIES
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NATURAL WORLD EXHIBITS
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SCIENCE CENTER EXHIBITS
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Greater Kudu on exhibit at the Putnam Museum, in the Hall of Mammals

The Greater Kudu

The Greater Kudu, also known as the Grey Ghost due to its elusive nature, is a large antelope found in Eastern and Southern Africa. See it now in the Hall of Mammals.

Muti-cultural children in brightly colored shirts digging for replica dinosaur fossils, with brushes in the outdoor Dino Dig area at the Putnam Museum.

Dino Dig

Are you ready to unleash your inner paleontologist? Look no further than our outdoor dino dig park at the Putnam Museum!

Mother Nature: Modern Muse

Mother Nature: Modern Muse

Sometimes we don’t have to look any farther than out the window to find a source of inspiration that could lead us to a new idea. So often, Mother Nature is our muse …

Hall of Minerals exhibit at the Putnam display many specimens for our area and the world

Hall of Minerals

The Putnam Museum provides a wide sampling of rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils – all on display in the Hall of Minerals. Word has it, there’s even a monster located there!

Hall of Mammals exhibit. A family of polar bears in an arctic diorama with icebergs and an arctic fox.

Hall of Mammals

You can travel the world and stay at The Putnam by visiting the Hall of Mammals. See exhibits featuring wildlife in their natural habitats and learn about experiments and other learning opportunities offered by museum staff.

Children, three girls and one boy exploring prairie grasses outside of the cave in the Mississippi River exhibit, Black Earth, Big River.

Black Earth | Big River

It’s easy to explore the wonders of the river valley when you take the time to wander the halls of Back Earth | Big River at The Putnam Museum.

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