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Putnam Museum offers free admission through January 5

Putnam Museum
Rendering of Putnam's upcoming "The Vault" exhibit with collections and artifacts

Through Monday, Jan. 5, Putnam Museum and Science Center is offering free admission with sponsorship from the Quad Cities Cultural Trust (QCCT). Support from QCCT allows visitors to explore all open exhibits without cost and attend daily documentaries at a discounted charge.

By opening exhibits to the public, Digital Marketing and PR Coordinator Jessica Beshears said Putnam is able to further serve community members who may have not had the chance to visit.

"Being able to open it up really drives a lot of people to come back and learn about all of the cool stuff we've got," Beshears said.

As Putnam opens its doors to the public, the museum is also preparing the launch of The Putnam: Reimagined Capital Campaign.

Beshears said the campaign is nearing total completion after years of progress, with updates to the Science Center and Education department, building exterior, lobby and exhibits, with more opportunity for interactive participation.

"There's going to be these interactives that go through the museum where you basically choose a career or an interest and you can interact with each exhibit in a way that showcases how that person would see it," Beshears said.

With the project scheduled for completion in May, visitors will be able to see more of Putnam in "The Vault". The exhibit will feature artifacts previously stored away from visitors.

While construction continues, new exhibits from the campaign are already open to explore, including "Quad City Innovators", "Common Ground: Our Voices, Our Stories" and "The World Culture Gallery".

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