DAVENPORT, Iowa— “Anne Frank: A History for Today” opens Sept. 2, at the Putnam Museum and Science Center. Part of the community-wide project, “Out of Darkness: Holocaust Messages for Today,” the exhibit tells the story of Anne Frank against the background of the Holocaust and the Second World War.
“Anne Frank: A History for Today” brings to life the story of the young Jewish girl who – in the pages of her world-renowned diary – documented two years of hiding in German-occupied Amsterdam during World War II. By sharing Anne’s legacy with visitors, students, and teachers, this traveling exhibit seeks to inspire our commitment to never be bystanders but instead to stand up together against antisemitism, bigotry, and inequality wherever they may exist today.
“Anne Frank’s story is so important for today,” said Christina Kastell, Curator of History and Anthropology. “Her story inspires girls and boys alike, telling them that they, too, can inspire others.”
This exhibit is on loan from the Anne Frank Center and has been embellished with artifacts from Quad Citians who were impacted by the Holocaust, the Illinois Holocaust Museum, and Danville Station & Museum. These artifacts include a concentration camp uniform, a flashlight used by guards in Theresienstadt, a Star of David patch, and the story of the Geiringer family who were on a similar path to the Franks while in hiding, depicting their experience through paintings that were later recovered.
Serving as the site for the “Out of Darkness” launch, the exhibit is only one of dozens of programs for children and adults across the community – all designed to counter damaging contemporary issues such as intolerance, misinformation, and hate speech.
“The Putnam is proud to be a partner in the ‘Out of Darkness’ project during this important time in our region’s history,” says Rachael Mullins, CEO and President of the Putnam. “We hope the community will find value in the exhibit as well as support the programming of all the collaborative partners over the coming months.”
This exhibit was made possible with support from the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, Scott County Regional Authority, Regional Development Authority, Rauch Family Foundation II, Inc., KWQC, and the Joyce and Tony Singh Family Foundation. “Anne Frank: A History for Today” is sponsored in North America by the University of South Carolina and the Anne Frank Center; it was developed by the Anne Frank House.
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 https://www.putnam.org/exhibits/anne-frank. For groups, or to plan your visit, call 563-324-1933.
