Putnam Museum

Putnam Museum Museum of history, science, and culture open seven days a week!
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The Putnam Museum and Science Center is a private, non-profit organization here to preserve, educate, and connect people through history, culture, and science.

05/23/2026

Stop by this weekend and check out the museum or catch a movie on the GIANT screen! And yes, we are open Monday too!

We are less than two weeks away from our classrooms being full of excited summer campers! We'd love for your excited sci...
05/21/2026

We are less than two weeks away from our classrooms being full of excited summer campers! We'd love for your excited scientists and historians in training to take part in the joy of discovery this summer! Space is limited, but spots are still available, sign-up link in the comments!

As we approach Juneteenth, take time to reflect, learn, and connect.Join us THIS THURSDAY, May 21 for Celebrate Freedom:...
05/19/2026

As we approach Juneteenth, take time to reflect, learn, and connect.

Join us THIS THURSDAY, May 21 for Celebrate Freedom: Iowa Juneteenth with Dwana Bradley. This powerful talk invites us to honor the sacrifices that shaped freedom, examine what it means today, and consider how we can actively live and shape it for the future.

🍻 5 PM drinks | 5:30 PM speaker
🎟️ Pay What You Can

Happy Artifact Tuesday! This week we’re spotlighting Miss Hokkaido, the 'Iowa' Friendship Doll, and her passport, a powe...
05/19/2026

Happy Artifact Tuesday! This week we’re spotlighting Miss Hokkaido, the 'Iowa' Friendship Doll, and her passport, a powerful symbol of international connection dating back nearly a century.

In the late 1920s, growing political tension between the United States and Japan, sparked in part by the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act restricting immigration, prompted an extraordinary grassroots effort centered on cultural diplomacy. Organized through the Committee on World Friendship Among Children, in partnership with Dr. Sidney Gulick and the Federal Council of Churches in America, more than 12,000 American dolls were sent to Japan in spring 1927 as gestures of goodwill from U.S. children. That same year, Japan responded with 58 intricately crafted Friendship Dolls, each representing a prefecture, major city, or the Imperial household.

Miss Hokkaido, who resides here at the Putnam Museum, represents Japan’s northernmost prefecture. Carefully designed by master dollmakers in Tokyo and Kyoto, these dolls were intended not as toys, but as cultural ambassadors, complete with finely detailed clothing, accessories, and even passports. Today, just over 40 of these dolls are known to still exist, making Miss Hokkaido part of a rare and historically significant collection that reflects early 20th-century efforts at peace-building through cultural exchange.

Nearly a century later, Miss Hokkaido continues to embody the power of cultural exchange, something we’ll experience in a new way through the Putnam’s upcoming 2027 trip to Japan, with visits to cities rich in history like Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima.

Curious to learn more? Join us tomorrow for an informational meeting about our 2027 trip to Japan:
đź—“ Wednesday, May 20
⏰ 5:30 PM | 📍 Putnam Museum

Last Saturday, A Fashion Legacy: The Nolan Miller and Mark Zunino Story brought Hollywood glamour to life, featuring ico...
05/18/2026

Last Saturday, A Fashion Legacy: The Nolan Miller and Mark Zunino Story brought Hollywood glamour to life, featuring iconic designs worn by legends like Elizabeth Taylor, Dame Joan Collins, Sofia Vergara, and more. But beyond the sparkle, guests experienced something deeper: the craftsmanship, history, and storytelling stitched into every piece.

That evening was just the beginning.

Now, we’re inviting you to go beyond the runway and into the archives.

Collection Couture Club is the Putnam Museum’s new members-only circle for those who don’t just love fashion… they study it. For those curious about the “why” behind the garment, the hands behind the seams, and the journey from creation to collection.

Collection Couture Club launches Thursday, June 25 at 6:30 PM.

05/13/2026

Still smiling from Putnam Palooza!

Thank you to our amazing community for showing up and celebrating with us.

We’re so grateful for our sponsors and their support, especially our presenting sponsor, Arconic Davenport Works, for helping make the day such a success. 🙌🌸🦋

This week's Artifact Tuesday is a turban-style Christian Dior hat dates from 1970–1975, a period when bold color, textur...
05/12/2026

This week's Artifact Tuesday is a turban-style Christian Dior hat dates from 1970–1975, a period when bold color, texture, and sculptural form defined high-fashion accessories. Crafted from rayon and polyester, the pink printed hat features braid trim, a bow-like accent at the back, and a pink grosgrain lining.

Originally priced at $95, it reflects both the craftsmanship and couture sensibility of its era. The hat was donated to the Putnam Museum in 1985 by Mrs. Dorothy Clemmens, ensuring this stylish piece of fashion history could be preserved and studied for generations.

This artifact was chosen to spotlight the launch of Collection Couture Club, Putnam Museum’s new members-only fashion and textile circle, designed for people who want more than labels and lookbooks. The Club invites members to step inside the Collection itself, gaining intimate access to garments and textiles rarely seen on display, engaging in conversations with conservators, and exploring the stories behind how fashion history is collected, understood, and preserved. Curated, stylish, and just a touch mysterious, Collection Couture Club launches Thursday, June 25 at 6:30 PM, offering fashion and history lovers the chance to move from spectator to insider and unlock the collection.

We loved having Nico with us on the 2025 Dino Expedition and count ourselves lucky to have been part of his journey!
05/12/2026

We loved having Nico with us on the 2025 Dino Expedition and count ourselves lucky to have been part of his journey!

05/10/2026

JP says Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers! And a huge thank you to all of the people who came out to Putnam Palooza yesterday!

Address

1717 W 12th Street
Davenport, IA
52804

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(563) 324-1933

Website

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