About the Museum
Plan Your Visit
Check out current exhibits and daily programs, find directions, rates, hours and more.
Education
Teach & Learn
Lifelong learning starts here! Explore teacher trainings, memorable field trips and unique school programs.
Join the HDM Family
Make an Impact
Volunteer, become a member or donate to support arts, education, wildlife and more.
The Museum
Wildlife,
History & Art
Otters, porcupines, owls, oh my! Encounter wildlife up close, explore the history and culture of the wild West and take in beautiful art. The High Desert Museum is a cultural gem set on 135 acres of awe. It’s no wonder visitors voted us one of the best things to do in Bend Oregon!
Upcoming
Events
Upcoming Events
- 04.20.19
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Hear some toe-tapping tunes from our pioneering house band! Dancing encouraged. Free with Museum admission (more…)
- 04.24.19
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Come on an adventure! Otters sleep 12 hours a day, and we love them whether they are awake or sleeping. Learn how fun a day in the life of an otter is. Bounding, somersaulting and slip-sliding around the river, otters clearly know how to have fun. Come discover what makes these aquatic wonders so special. (more…)
- 04.25.19
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Come on an adventure! Otters sleep 12 hours a day, and we love them whether they are awake or sleeping. Learn how fun a day in the life of an otter is. Bounding, somersaulting and slip-sliding around the river, otters clearly know how to have fun. Come discover what makes these aquatic wonders so special. (more…)
- 04.26.19
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Join us to celebrate the opening of Desert Reflections: Water Shapes the West! Water shapes both the High Desert landscape and the ways in which humans and animals live within it. Join us for an original High Desert Museum exhibition exploring regional concerns and global issues surrounding this precious resource through the lens of science and (more…)
- 04.27.19
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
This event is sold out. If you would like to be on the waiting list in the event of cancellations, please complete the form below. Join our wildlife curators to learn about and photograph the wildlife in our care. Experienced photographers will be available to walk participants through various camera techniques with portrait-style (more…)
- 04.27.19
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Calling all families—learn about the Oregon spotted frog and how to keep our local watershed healthy in this interactive workshop. Conduct hands-on science and art activities. Take a field trip to an Oregon spotted frog habitat and participate in a stewardship project. This workshop is for children ages 7 to 10 and an adult caregiver. (more…)
Changing
Exhibits
9.8.18 -
7.14.19
Art, Natural History
Animal Journeys: Navigating in Nature
The High Desert Museum is pleased to present Animal Journeys: Navigating in Nature, an original exhibition exploring the navigational feats performed by wildlife.
3.2.19 -
6.23.19
Art, Natural History
The Beauty of Wild Things: Charcoal Drawings by April Coppini
The Portland-based artist is known for breathing life into charcoal depictions of the wild inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest.
4.27.19 -
9.29.19
Art, Natural History
Desert Reflections: Water Shapes the West
Desert Reflections: Water Shapes the West weaves together science, history, art and contemporary issues to explore the role of water in the region’s past, present and future.
