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Experience
Wonder
Visit Today
Learn More Experience Art in the West Celebrate the people, landscapes, wildlife, history and cultures of the High Desert Learn More Patterns at Play:
Fractals in Nature
Are you ready to be mesmerized?
Learn More Coming Soon Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky, a career retrospective
opening September 27
Learn More Coming Soon The 20-Dollar Art Show, Bend's biggest little art show opening October 4

About the Museum

Plan Your Visit

Check out current exhibits and daily programs, find directions, rates, hours and more.

Kids & Families

Explore Together

Learn about kid-friendly exhibits, activities, camps 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


  •  10.04.25
     9:00 am - 5:00 pm

October 4, 2025 – October 20, 2025 Bend’s biggest little art show is back! The Museum is once again honored to host the year’s 20-Dollar Art Show, presented by Bright Place Gallery. Featuring over 10,000 pieces of original art by established and emerging local artists, this year’s show promises to be the biggest yet. Made possible (more…)


  •  10.06.25
     7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Have you ever considered what lives at the top of the forest? Hear from Dr. Hannah Prather, Visiting Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at Reed College, who has spent years climbing, exploring and protecting the forest canopy. 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, doors open 5:30 pm FREE, RSVP required. With (more…)


  •  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…)


  •  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…)

Changing
Exhibits

2.22.25 -
10.5.25

Science, Natural History

Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature

Fractals are never-ending patterns that repeat the same shape at bigger and smaller scales. From mountain ranges and the galaxy to snow crystals and brain neurons, fractals big and small exist all around us. Step inside this fun, funky and family-friendly exhibit. You can learn to build a fractal, listen to the sound of sonic fractals, relax in a bean bag chair and watch an animation create new fractals right before your eyes. Are you ready to be mesmerized?

7.5.25 -
9.20.25

Art

Art in the West

Art in the West is an annual juried fine art exhibition and online silent auction featuring art that celebrates the landscapes, wildlife, people, cultures and history of the High Desert—a region that stretches from the eastern slope of the Cascades and Sierras to the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau. Featuring nearly 120 pieces from 80-plus nationally and regionally acclaimed artists, Art in the West blankets the walls of the Museum.

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.

Spirit of
the West
Learn More Experience the vibrant history of the West as you explore its people, their challenges and successes. Permanent Exhibits
By Hand
Through Memory
Learn More Discover the journey of the Plateau Indian Nations as they traveled from reservation confinement to the 21st century. Permanent Exhibits
Miller Family
Ranch
Learn More Living historians bring 1904 to life as they maintain the cabin, barn, willow corral and sawmill and care for their animals. Permanent Exhibits
Donald M. Kerr
Birds of
Prey Center
Learn More See some of nature’s most spectacular aerial predators up close: owls, hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures. Permanent Exhibits
Autzen
Otter Exhibit
Learn More Our three river otters define “play” in their newly-renovated exhibit. Permanent Exhibits
Desertarium Learn More View High Desert reptiles, amphibians, spiders and burrowing owls. Permanent Exhibits Galleries Learn More Temporary exhibits on art, history, nature and culture. Changing Exhibits

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.