The Putnam Museum and Science Center will celebrate 60 years at its current Davenport location with throwback admission prices of 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for youth from Thursday, Oct. 3. to Sunday, Oct. 5. It also will extend Thursday hours to 8 p.m. throughout the month.
Guests to that now 60-year-old museum at 1717 W. 12th St., also are encouraged during this milestone celebration to contribute to the Putnam’s Community Access Fund. Those dollars will help the Putnam continue to provide scholarships and discounts for underserved communities and guests facing financial restrictions, ensuring that all have access to a museum experience, a Putnam news release said.
The Putnam began life as the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences on Dec. 14, 1867. It was later named the Davenport Public Museum to reflect its evolution into a “public museum of science, history and art,” its website says. In 1961, the cornerstone was set for the current building at 12th and Division streets in west Davenport and the museum opened its doors on Oct. 3, 1964.
In addition to marking that milestone with longer Thursday hours throughout the month, the museum will feature Discovery Happy Hour. On weekdays, nonmember visitors to the museum will receive $5 off the admission price from 3:30-5 p.m. In addition to the free admission that comes with their memberships, members will receive an additional 15% off in the museum store during Discovery Happy Hour.
Speakers, movies, more
“Speaking of Happy Hour,” the release said, every third Thursday throughout October the Putnam will continue to host “History on Tap” but at a new time. Drinks and socializing will begin at 5 p.m. in the Grand Lobby. At 5:30 p.m., a guest speaker will talk about a niche history subject on the museum’s Lardner Balcony.
History on Tap’s Oct. 17 speaker will be Jeff Adamson from Guys In Ties Improv. He will present “Twisted Tales of the Quad Cities: Creepy and Bizarre Stories of the QCs.”
Each Thursday at 7 p.m. the museum also will also screen a feature-length film in the GIANT Screen Theater. Oct. 3 premieres with Addam’s Family, followed by Casper on Oct. 10, Young Frankenstein on Oct. 17, and Nightmare on Elm Street on Oct. 24. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas will play on Halloween.
Every month thereafter, there will be feature films chosen around a different theme.
About the Putnam
The Putnam Museum and Science Center is open seven days a week with a variety of documentaries that play throughout the day, the museum said. Except for extended Thursday nights, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Adult admission is $12 and $10 for youth, military, seniors, and students. Sponsored through Museums for All, households with an EBT card and ID are eligible for $1 admission.
The Putnam Museum is a Smithsonian affiliate. Its mission is to bring 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, the release said.
For more than 150 years, guests have experienced the Putnam’s permanent exhibits ranging from Unearthing Ancient Egypt to family-favorite science galleries, as well as an array of programs and internationally recognized traveling exhibits. The Putnam is dedicated to helping guests discover and explore in a friendly and engaging atmosphere.
For more information about events and exhibits, visit putnam.org.
