5 days ago
Dig this: Triceratops skeleton is on its way to The Putnam Museum, Davenport!
During the Putnam Museum's annual Dino Days event, Cindy Diehl Yang, president and CEO of the organization, announced the plan to bring an adult Triceratops skeleton to the Davenport museum for the greater Quad City community.
The skeleton is currently being excavated at a dig site in remote Lusk, Wyoming. A team of 10 from the Putnam Museum and the greater community are expected to leave on Sunday, June 22, to join the dig and begin the process of bringing the findings back to the Quad Cities.
The multi-year project was made official last summer when Kelly Lao, vice president of museum experiences, visited the excavation site. During that time, Dr. Marcus Eriksen, founder and executive director at Leap Lab, agreed to host the dig expedition, assist with bone prep and fabricate any missing pieces that are not found when unearthing the skeleton.
'The Putnam is thrilled to partner with Leap Lab to bring a triceratops to the Quad Cities,' Lao said. 'This collaboration combines cutting-edge science with immersive education, inspiring curiosity and wonder in our community. It's not just about showcasing a dinosaur; it's about sparking the imagination of future explorers, scientists, and lifelong learners.'
The Triceratops fossils will make the Putnam Museum and Science Center the only place in Iowa where visitors can see a full dinosaur skeleton. The museum expects the skeleton to be installed in 2027 and be a permanent addition to the museum's over 250,000-item collection. Throughout the multi-year project the museum plans to keep the Quad City community involved with project updates, including a community naming contest, a dino lab allowing guests to see the prepping of the bones, multiple appearances around town and much more.
This long-term and monumental project is supported by multiple partners and sponsors, including the Quad City Cultural Trust, Augustana College and the Fryxell Geology Museum, VictoryXR, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Leap Lab: Ventura County Science Center, Eastern Wyoming Nature Center and local Jurassic Park aficionado Colin Parry. The Putnam will also have opportunities for community members to contribute to the 'Bring the Dinosaur Home to the Quad Cities' project through in-person donations at the museum and online.
'This project feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the museum,' said Yang. 'As I'm relatively new to the Quad Cities it's an honor to be a small part of bringing something this epic to this amazing community. With a project this big we can't do it alone, thank you to our partners, especially Quad City Cultural Trust and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. This will be the community's dinosaur, and we will need everyone's support to bring the dino home.'
About the Putnam
The Putnam Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, exists to preserve, educate and connect people to the wonders of science, culture, and history. 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, visit here.
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