DAVENPORT, Iowa — Starting this week, families around the Quad Cities region can visit the Putnam Museum and Science Center at no cost through Jan. 5, 2025, thanks to funding from the Quad Cities Cultural Trust (QCCT).
"We are beyond grateful for the sponsorship from QCCT that will allow guests to see the amazing work that has already been completed and share their voice in the Putnam’s future," Putnam President and CEO Cindy Diehl Yang said in a press release.
The sponsored admission from QCCT comes as the museum launches its Putnam: Reimagined Capital Campaign, a multi-year project that will refresh the façade of the facility and allow necessary renovations to their lobby and science center department.
In addition to updating portions of the building, the museum will add new guest experiences like "The Vault," which allows patrons a deeper look into the thousands of items in the Putnam's collection. This includes previously unseen artifacts through an interactive database. The museum will also add a new Family Engagement Center for families with younger children.
Three of the museum's galleries are already up and running, including "Common Ground: Our Voice, Our Stories," "Quad Cities Innovators" and "The World Culture Gallery." Visitors who take in these new permanent galleries can offer their input on these spaces and the ongoing projects at the museum.
"We are excited to have the public see what we are up to here on the west end... The Putnam truly is the community’s museum, and we want every Quad Citizen to be part of developing its future for generations to come," Yang said in the release.
The Putnam Museum and Science Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.