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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09.26.25
6:45 pm - 8:30 pm
Join Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. and the High Desert Museum for an exclusive opening night celebration of the exhibition Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky, a career retrospective of nationally renowned artist Joe Feddersen (b. 1953, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation). Hear from Feddersen himself before exploring the exhibition and its comprehensive showing of (more…)
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09.27.25
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
September 27, 2025 — January 18, 2026 Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky is a career retrospective of nationally renowned artist Joe Feddersen (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation). This exhibition gathers four decades of the prolific artist’s prints, glass, weaving, and ceramics in the largest and most comprehensive showing of his career to date. From (more…)
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10.03.25
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The past 50 years have seen a remarkable revolution in the way scientists study nature’s scenery. At the heart of this revolution lies the discovery of intricate patterns called fractals. The growing impact of these natural patterns raises a crucial question – can nature’s beauty trigger a dramatic reduction in stress and mental fatigue? Join (more…)
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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…)
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10.05.25
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Last chance to see the original exhibition Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature! Photo by Todd Cary (more…)
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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. Tickets (more…)
Changing
Exhibits
2.1.25 -
9.7.25
Art, History
Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland
Featuring more than 30 large-format photos from the dawn of the 20th century, this exhibition showcases Frank S. Matsura's (1873-1913) masterful attention to detail photographing Indigenous families near his studio in Washington state's Okanagan County near the Canadian border. Matsura, a Japanese immigrant, connected with the Indigenous tribes in the cultural and geographic "borderland."
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.
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.

