Wonder
Earth, Water, Sky
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.
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
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10.17.25
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm -
10.18.25
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
10.19.25
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Bend’s biggest little art show is back! Join us for The 20-Dollar Art Show Extravaganza, a weekend celebrating Bend’s biggest little art show! Featuring over 10,000 pieces of original art by establish and emerging local artists, this year’s show presented by Bright Place Gallery promises to be the biggest yet. As always, each mini masterpiece (more…)
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10.18.25
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
October 18, 2025 – March 29, 2026 From dry and sandy to slimy and wet, many types of soils exist in the High Desert. But all healthy soils have one important thing in common: they form the foundation of the West’s ecosystems. Dive underground to explore the hidden world of soil. This family-friendly exhibit takes (more…)
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10.20.25
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Exhibition closing! The 20-Dollar Art Show (more…)
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10.23.25
9:30 am - 1:00 pm
Homeschool Day is your chance to experience a field trip at the High Desert Museum. For just $10 a child, you can participate in an interactive and interdisciplinary day exploring ideas about soil, including soil art, cultural connections to soil and meeting an animal that depends on soil. Explore our new family-friendly exhibit, Soil Alive!, that takes visitors on (more…)
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10.24.25
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Nez Perce language expert, storyteller and educator Harry Slickpoo Jr. works to preserve, share, and promote Nez Perce lifeways. As the Collections Specialist for the Nez Perce Tribe Hitéemenwees Research Library, Slickpoo uses cultural items to support the continuation of living cultures and Native languages today. Learn more about Slickpoo’s work and the resilience of (more…)
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11.01.25
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Winter hours begin! The Museum will now be open daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. (more…)
Changing
Exhibits
9.27.25 -
1.18.26
Art, History
Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky
Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky is a career retrospective of nationally renowned artist Joe Feddersen (b. 1953, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation). This exhibition gathers close to 100 works spanning four decades of Feddersen’s prolific career — from prints and glass to weaving and ceramics. The collective richness of his body of work is testament to Feddersen’s appreciation of and respect for the land. Feddersen cultivates a visual vernacular that draws upon recognizable signs, symbols and forms. Organized by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky was made possible through major support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
10.4.25 -
10.20.25
Art
The 20-Dollar Art Show
Bend's biggest little art show is back! The Museum is once again honored to host The 20-Dollar Art Show, presented by Bright Place Gallery. The 2025 show features nearly 8,000 pieces of original art by local and emerging artists. The Extravaganza kickoff is on Friday, October 17. For the low, low price of $20, each mini masterpiece will be for sale.
10.18.25 -
3.29.26
Science, Natural History
Soil Alive!
From dry and sandy to slimy and wet, many types of soils exist in the High Desert. But all healthy soils have one important thing in common: they form the foundation of the West’s ecosystems. This family-friendly exhibit takes visitors on a subterranean journey to encounter mycorrhizal networks, burrowing animals, and microscopic organisms. Dive underground to explore the hidden world of soil. Presented in English and Spanish.
the West
Through Memory
Ranch
Birds of
Prey Center
Otter Exhibit
The Institute of Museum and Library Services named the High Desert Museum as one of six recipients of the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.
The Museum was recognized for providing dynamic programming and services through community outreach, working to create programs that offer rich educational programming and expand museum access.

