Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland

February 1, 2025 – September 7, 2025

At the dawn of the 20th century, the Indigenous peoples of North America regularly faced narratives that they would soon disappear, be it from artists, academics or politicians. Yet Japanese immigrant and photographer Frank Matsura (1873-1913) approached his artistry differently. He arrived in the U.S. in 1901 and made Okanogan County, a rural expanse of High Desert in northern Washington state, his home. There, he grew strong relationships with the area’s tribal communities. The resulting body of work includes some of the most visually powerful and nuanced images of Indigenous people from the era: conceptually sophisticated and collaborative, revealing the Syilx (Okanogan) people effectively adapting to a changing time. 

Photo by Frank Matsura

Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature

February 22, 2025 – October 5, 2025

When you look closely, the natural world is packed full of patterns. From clouds and tree bark to shells and cacti, nature is alive with repeating shapes. Scientists call them fractals. Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature invites you to take a deeper dive into the Earth’s details. Inside this fun and funky exhibit, visitors will learn to build their own patterns while an interactive animation creates new fractals right before your eyes. Are you ready to be mesmerized?