DAVENPORT, IOWA (January 21, 2022) — Life on Earth has been evolving for billions of years. From single-celled organisms to giant blue whales, the story of life is one of trial and error. Mother Nature is continually discovering unique and innovative solutions and strategies that support life on Earth. To celebrate this concept, Mother Nature: Modern Muse is now open at the Putnam Museum and Science Center, a Smithsonian affiliate.
“We love featuring the Putnam’s glorious collection and creating exhibits original to our museum,” says Rachael Mullins, CEO and President of the Putnam. “Our recent traveling exhibit Nature’s Blueprints inspired us to draw from our own collection to further explore the concept of biomimicry for this exhibit.”
While not all of Mother Nature’s solutions are elegant, many are truly amazing. Recognition of this has led to a growing trend in science and technology to look to nature in our search for innovative strategies, designs, and solutions.
“In science and technology, we tend to build upon what the previous generation has learned. Nature has had billions of years to come up with unique and innovative solutions and strategies that support life on Earth,” Putnam curator of natural science Christine Chandler said. “Why has it taken us so long to recognize what nature has to offer? It's definitely time for us to sit up and take notice.”
The exhibit includes examples from the Putnam’s collection, supplemental reading material, and an opportunity to try your hand at your own design. Join us at the Putnam Museum and Science Center as we celebrate just a few of the innovations of Mother Nature, our modern muse.
Exhibit admission is included in the price of general admission — $9 for adults, $8 for youth (ages 3-18), seniors, college students, and military. Through the Putnam’s Museums for All program, admission is $1 per person for households with the presentation of an EBT card. Admission is free for members.
For more information, visit putnam.org/exhibits/Mother-Nature-Modern-Muse. For groups, or to plan your visit, call 563-324-1933.
About the Putnam
The Putnam Museum brings 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. For more than 150 years, guests have experienced the Putnam’s permanent exhibits ranging from Unearthing Ancient Egypt to our 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 www.putnam.org.
