New exhibit, Animal Armor, debuts at Putnam Museum and Science Center

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The Putnam Museum and Science Center has a new exhibit.

Animal Armor: The Evolution of Armor in Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals is now on display at the Putnam. The exhibit invites visitors to explore remarkable ways animals across 500 million years have adapted armor for survival and how these adaptations continue to inspire human innovation.

The exhibit will be on display through February 15, 2026.

Animal Armor examines the evolutionary battle between protection and predation. Visitors will discover the trade-offs between mobility and defense, learning how armor served as both a shield and a limitation, museum officials said. From ancient sea scorpions and armored fish to dinosaurs like Ankylosaurs, the exhibit highlights the diverse strategies animals used to survive in a constantly changing world.

Gaston Design Inc., the creators of the unique Animal Armor exhibition said they’re excited to present this one-of-a-kind display.

“It is incredible fascinating to see the common connections between creatures as diverse as insects and dinosaurs, and how humans have adopted those same defensive strategies,” said Robert Gaston, president and discoverer of the armored dinosaur Gastonia.

The museum is open seven days a week located at 1717 W. 12th Street.