There's a Lot to Learn About the World Around You
The world of nature—both in the present and the pre-historic—can awe and inspire you. At the Putnam Museum, we have been presenting educational information about nature (and how humans interact with it) for over 150 years!
Our Mother Nature: Modern Muse exhibit shows how humans have taken inspiration from the world around us to make new inventions. Our Halls of Minerals and Mammals put the natural world on display for all to enjoy.
When it comes to understanding the ecological systems of our own area and the surrounding Mississippi River basin, visitors will find all kinds of interesting information in the museum’s Black Earth | Big River exhibit. There’s so much to discover!
Our Natural World Exhibits

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.

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.

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!

JUNKraft: Global Crisis of Plastic Pollution
JUNKraft: Global Crisis of Plastic Pollution examines the issue of global plastic pollution within our oceans. In 2008 two sailors, Marcus Erikson and Joel Paschal launched a home-made raft from Los Angeles to Hawaii to bring attention to the problem.

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 …
Special Thanks To Our Natural World Galleries Sponsor:
