We dropped by on a hot weekday afternoon and were so glad we did. The museum has a mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits - we saw them all but ultimately much preferred the indoor ones (both for summer heat and curation). Highlights included a very interesting retro 80s style exhibit on volcanoes that taught us a lot about the local geography. The kids also loved the beautifully done diorama'd historical rooms although more signage explaining some of thoughtful details would have been appreciated. The current art auction was also great to puruse, some beautiful and creative works there. We went to one talk at the amphitheatre that we found surprisingly dry. The otter exhibit was also fun to see as well as learning about the awesome lampreys. We stayed about 3.5 hours and probably could've lingered longer. read more

While visiting in Bend we decided to check out the High Desert Museum, which was very informative and interesting mixing of live and set exhibits and broken down to inside viewing of sudden stage of dessert conditions and living and animals living in the area. They also have an outdoor exhibit with live and items of the pass you will see along the way though out the area. They have places to sit and rest but the outdoor path can be a little steep in certain area, if you have a hard time walking, you might want to enjoy more time on the indoor exhibits. They have a restaurant and gift shop with area to sit if you need to rest. The restrooms are clean & well maintained and they even have handicapped restrooms. The parking is large and if someone has trouble walking you could drop them off in the front where they have benches they can wait until you get back from parking the car. Have much more pictures but only allowed so much you can put on. read more

See all

A surprise hit with our family! I can't believe I almost skipped this place on our trip - don't make the same mistake! This museum is incredible. It has indoor and massive outdoor exhibits. I'd plan at least 4 hrs here but you can easily spend all day. There's interactive and interesting exhibits on volcanos, the history of central Oregon, the Native tribes, animals (all rescues and include a skunk, bobcat, porcupine, birds of prey, snakes, lizards, otters, turtles, tortoises, free roaming chickens and turkeys, and more) and a really cool raptors show - don't miss this! It's better than the bird show at Disney World. The best part are the volunteers. There's volunteers dressed in period attire, teaching kids leather art, weaving, and games kids used to play. My kids LOVED this. There's other volunteers with animal furs or shells or skeletons that kids can actually touch and learn so much about. And there's Gary, the best volunteer who just knows everything and is the most friendly and helpful person ever. Seriously, he made our whole visit so pleasant. The raptor show is an $8/person add on but so worth it. It's only once a day so get tickets early. I won't spoil it, but sit near the middle/rear near any of the stumps... Also, if you're military, admission is free between May-Sept as HDM is part of the Blue Star Museums program. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop and cafe! All money goes to helping more rescue animals! read more

High Desert Museum - Daily schedule - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

See all

When my dad took me here as a kid in the early 00's I remember it being so boring. Returning as an adult 25 years later, it is amazing what a great job they have done with this museum. So many good exhibits and activities for kids. They put a lot of effort into this place and from the construction outside it seems they are still growing. The quality of some of the exhibits is on par with the decor they have in the waiting areas at Disneyland. Also, the birds of prey exhibit has eagles that are incredibly close to the viewer. Overall, don't sleep on this as a great educational activity for the kids. read more

Definitely my favorite part of our trip to Bend, Oregon! There's a little something for everybody at this museum. They have antiques, artifacts, stones, and lots of exhibits to look through. We went through the indoor animals pretty quickly, and then found an 80s themed volcano exhibit, which was very classy. Felt like stepping back in time in 1985. All of the art looked like something out of my high school planner ha ha. We found the pioneer section that talked about different time periods in Bend, Oregon, everything from settlers, miners, indigenous, people, and some more modern things. It was like a time capsule. The ambience was really cool too. Lots of ambient sounds and music. Seeing the animals was really cool. It always warms my heart to see otters playing together, swimming together, and just being cute. Although my wife and I aren't very big fans of animals in cages at zoos, we can tell the animals are really well taken care of here, and since many can't be released back into the wild, we do it as them getting a new lease on life and getting to be admired, adored, and educating people as they pass through Bend, Oregon, and stopped for a visit. Definitely worth the money. Good parking. Service was very good. I can tell the people who run the museum really like what they do. read more

See all

The High Desert Museum has been my absolute favorite museum since I was a kid. I insisted on coming here every year when we would come to Oregon to visit my grandparents. There are staples in the museum that never change, however they also have many exhibits that change over the years. The river otters will always be my favorite. But over the years they have added other sculptures or new exhibits. They currently have some Western Art display, and you can bid or purchase the art for when it is no longer on display. They have many live animals, from the native fish to the birds of prey. This museum is ever changing and will always be my favorite stop while we are in the area. I highly reccomend checking it out. read more

See all

Great place to spend an afternoon with the family. The desert animals are so cool! We got to see a visiting beaver take a dip in the otter pond which was awesome. We loved the ranch and all of the little buildings to explore. Amazing how much cocaine people did in the olden days, lol! read more

High Desert Museum - Visiting beaver taking a swim in the otter pond, she was adorable! - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

We enjoyed everything about our visit. The grounds are beautiful. The animals are amazing. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Heck, even the gift shop is great! read more

See all

Very informative. Great mix of fixed historical exhibits and outdoor wildlife venues. Worth the trip to visit! read more

See all

We were heading back to California when we decided to stop by at this place. Glad we did! The guided shows are very informative, and the staff are all friendly. Kudos to Thaddeus for being such an engaging guide! He is very knowledgeable and is a great lecturer. read more

I love that they are concentrated on the Oregon wildlife and not something from out of state. The otters are the best! Very playful and not shy of people at all! They have a nicely done portion dedicated to the local native american history as well as early history of the area. It's really half zoo and half museum. The museum is worth at least one visit every few years but I wouldn't buy a membership to it. The price seems a little steep for what they have if you go more than once, but not being a local we didn't get to attend any seasonal events. read more

Lots to see in this museum. There's a lot of artwork on the walls, great displays and several animals/birds. Well worth the time to take young ones too! Such a good way for them to learn about the history and the wildlife of Oregon. read more

See all

Had a great and educational time at the museum. I imagine it can be quite busy during the summer but in late October we had plenty of time to enjoy the exhibits. Highly recommend the Raptor session at 11 am, and the Otter session at 1. The raptor today was a red tail hawk and we learned much from our naturalist / researcher. The otter session was also highly informative and the volunteer was excellent. It was great watching the otters cavort and eat pumpkin. Lots of other exhibits so be sure to study the map so you don't miss any; it's easy to accidentally bypass one as this is a huge space. This is a great way to spend a few hours, especially with children. Much for them to do, and the interaction with the staff highly educational. This is a very well done museum, and my wife and I are grateful to all the organizations and volunteers that put in the work to make it such a great experience. Mahalo. read more

This place is great, half museum half zoo! When we arrived we were starving and we're pleased to find a restaurant with burgers on the menu. The food itself was solid and better than some of the restaurants we experienced in town already. From there we spent hours both indoors and outdoors exploring everything they had to offer, from the native American exhibits to others and outhouse. We even got to see a porcupine up close and learn all about them as well was watching a bobcat get fed. Our kid loved it! read more

See all

Great option in Bend for families. Be sure to check out all areas or you'll miss something cool. A little pricey so use the AAA promo code to get 10% off your tickets. read more

See all

For a small museum, they charge San Francisco admission price. It was enjoyable and the live animal attractions with the interactive pods were very educational. Best part..... the otters. What cuties they are. They did not emit a stank like at this thrift store in Winston. Also, very clean. No moldy books. read more

What an unexpected experience. It was fantastic and very diverse in exhibits for all ages. Well worth a visit!

Stopped in on a whim to see the otters. What a wonderful decision! Absolutely the coolest museum I've ever seen. Tons of detailed exhibits that are so intricate and fascinating. Very thought provoking. The animals are so cool too! And the backstories on how they saved them. A 10/10 do not miss! read more

This museum is like a combination of museum and wild life zoo. I like their exhibitions about the nature and the people. The highlight for me is the Sasquatch/big foot exhibition. It is so creative and has really nice designs. There are a few animals inside while some are outside. We saw bobcat was eating his food, porcupine hid in his house (probably getting away from the rain), and cute otters were enjoy swimming and showing us their moves. The museum is right next to the highway. It is south of Bend. Since we are from out of town, when the GPS told us to turn left to enter the museum, we were not sure at first. We got used to going right to exit the highway. Finally, we made it to the huge available parking lot. read more

High Desert Museum - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

See all

Great museum even though it is somewhat small. Love the indoor/outdoor mix of exhibits. We particularly enjoyed the Joe Feddersen art exhibit -- particularly the short video clips of Mr. Feddersen talking about his inspiration, etc. We really enjoyed our time at the museum and would visit again. read more

High Desert Museum - Who is Joe Feddersen? - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

I have been back many times! It's always fun to walk around and learn new things. Love that some is outside and some is inside. Staff very friendly and helpful with questions. Plenty of parking! read more

Driving to Bend and I kept seeing signs for this museum. After yelping it and seeing the great reviews, i thought it would be a good place to take my visiting family on a cool and rainy summer day. The museum grounds are beautiful. I really enjoyed the exhibit that had all the Oregon trail stuff, it was really well made. My favorite part of the museum was seeing all the animals they have. We also went to the Birds of Prey show and it was so fun. This is a great place for kids and adults to learn about the High Desert. read more

Well worth the price of admission! (I think it was about $20 / person plus $8 each for the raptor show.) The highlight, for us, was the raptor show -- extraordinary! (tbf, we've only seen one other, years ago, at a zoo... this was WAY cooler). The handlers were knowledgeable and the birds were magnificent -- and close! The museum itself had both indoor and outdoor exhibits. Inside, there was art from local artists, installations about both the people native to the area and the "settlers" (wouldn't the word be ... interlopers? colonizers? IDK but the land was already settled, why call them that?) Outside, there were animals -- RIVER OTTERS! joyful -- and birds who had been injured so could not survive in the wild, a bobcat, rumor of a porcupine (s/he was in her little house, I guess). Lots of open space, shade, and a play area for kids. Just a lovely way to spend a few hours. read more

See all

Great for families and kids or anyone who likes natural history museums. High Desert Museum is slightly south of Bend at 59800 US-97. Didn't know what to expect from this visit but it's a well curated and well done exhibition of the high desert area's indigenous people, migrants, wildlife, along with pretty authentic depictions of how they lived, worked. You'll discover how the area grew with the pioneering industries of the days - fur trapping & trading, mining, etc. Try to give yourself at least 3 hours to enjoy the visit. Walking distances are farther than deposits on the not to scale you're given. Misjudged distance and missed an eagerly anticipated raptors show. Give yourself more time and start early in the day. read more

See all

Miguel Almeida presentation is overly biased and racist. It is not an educational piece but a not so covert piece of propaganda. To be educational you need to present actual facts not opinions unless giving time to the various perspectives. I am offended by the museums choice to make politics the perspective offered. Time to make facts the focus. The remainder of the museum is very well done, interactive and we had a great time with everything else. read more

What a neat exploration with wonderful exhibits explaining the area history and live animals to enjoy. I would have loved to experience the falcon interactive but timing didn't work out. Would be great if they offered more times to select from but all in all this places is a gem and very unique. read more

See all

This was such a great experience. The website says to allow 2-3 hours, and you'll need just about every bit of it depending on how much of the information you read. The volunteers were friendly and seemed to really enjoy working there. The property is pretty big and contains several exhibits and quite a few animals too. There are outdoor exhibits, so if you go in the summer, make sure to bring your water bottles and sun protection with you. The outside loop was really nice, and we saw a lot of wildlife. The Birds of Prey demonstration was pretty cool and very informative. It lasts about 15 minutes, and then they open the floor for questions. read more

See all

This is a great interactive museum that is fun for kids and adults. Lots of history and some really fun animals. The river otters are very fun to watch. You are guaranteed to enjoy yourself and learn something new in the process read more

Nestled in the woods just off HWY 97, just a few miles from Bend you can find an amazing hidden treasure. We've passed by here a few times in the past and never stopped. After watching Vinny on his PBS show "All Across Oregon" do an episode here and getting a tease of what they had I quickly bookmarked it for our next trip. This natural history museum has so much to offer and is well laid out. We missed a few of the areas since it was chilly outside and learned a few times a year they actually fire up the old sawmill on site and mill lumber for kids to see and experience. Epic!... and a reason for another visit. The kids loved the animals- owls, eagles, fox, porcupine, otters as well as the well designed exhibits. The staff is all super friendly and informative and really get the kids involved. On top of that, they offer free kennels if your traveling with your pooch. They're lockable, roomy, have a pet bed and water available and are covered and protected from the elements. So glad we checked this place out... thanks to Vinny! read more

See all

If this museum only had its otter exhibit, that would be enough! It's really cool to see the rescued otters having fun in a habitat made just for them. But, of course, that's not all that the High Desert Museum has! It has a great exhibit about the Native Americans of the area, it has other animals, it has great art exhibit, birds of prey, and a great little settler village. I'd like to give a shout out to Abigail, who is the best reenactor that I have ever seen at any museum. This museum has some thing for people of every age. I am happy to visit it multiple times a year. read more

High Desert Museum - Abigail is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic!!!! - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

See all

Lovely time here. This was our second time and we'll come back again for the otters, birds of prey and art/photography installations read more

High Desert Museum - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

This museum is awesome!! $17 for adults is very reasonable compared to other museums of this caliber. I love museums that are "set dressed", with exhibits that make you feel like you're "there" in the time period you're learning about. The coal mining section is so cool, you feel like you're really underground! So much cool wildlife as well. The birds of prey performance is a must see! Will definitely come back here the next time I'm in Bend. This is the perfect place to take your kids! read more

High Desert Museum - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

See all

If you're in Bend, add this stop to your list. For just $20 for adults, you can spend half a learning about Native American & early settlers to watching the otters play around. There's a breathtaking Raptor Encounter that you do not want to miss as well as Outdoor Tour Guided Nature Walks. This museum has something for everyone. read more

High Desert Museum - Owl Skeleton - Museums Near Me - Bend, Oregon

See all

We are so very thankful we came to this spectacular museum!! The High Desert Museum exhibits thoroughly and meticulously, well established collections of the areas very significant artifacts and living history. It gives us insight to the local inhabitants and terrain by providing living encounters in the impressive Desertarium, and its 1/2 mile long outdoor trail, which includes Wildlife areas and educational Forest history with an abundance of important facts along the way. It was a pleasure to talk with Don in the Desertarium, he was full of interesting fun knowledge! I'll remember him when I get a chance to tenderly scratch a turtle's back/shell!! Thank you for providing and maintaining such an incredible and invaluable experience. read more

See all

Highlight #2! Highlight #1 is Crater Lake of our week long trip with 6 & 5 yr old Grandsons who love wildlife & nature. We missed the Birds of Prey show. Got to the Otter Exhibit 30 min early. Someone had toe up the map & thrown into their pond. The girls came with fish & had to clean out what they could with nets. They fed the otters than left. We waited another 15 min to see if they were coming back. No show or talk. We were disappointed & wasted 30 hour. Sorry we never stopped before when our boys were young. Always in a hurry to return home on trips to SO OR & SO Cal. We will be back. The boys are already saying next time. read more

Cool little museum. There are some live desert animals to see. Most of the exhibits seem to be items from the past. My 2 year old had a hard time staying engaged. The staff was friendly. They do nature walks as well as animal experiences. We went on a day that was too hot for most of the animal encounters. The gift shop has some cute items. read more

the kitchen staff really seems to be a mess idk who's managing it but they need to get a better hold on how there employees act. i saw a big guy arguing with another guy being loud on the line, it was very unprofessional and just a ugly look on the business all together. very unwelcoming do not recommend. food was okay. the girl with pink hair helped me she was very sweet i will say. but they need new staff or management or something. read more

This was so cool, my only regret is that we couldn't spend more time and see the whole thing! I planned this as our last stop before we left Bend to head back to Portland. I'm so glad I saw suggestions for this! This is almost a combination museum/sanctuary. It was $20 per ticket, totally worth it. We started the inside section seeing a porcupine and a bobcat! We made our way to the sasquatch exhibit along with an exhibit on the history of the high desert. We only had about an hour or so we could spend here, sadly, so we were careful with our time. We watched the river otter talk that afternoon (so cute!!!) and then headed over to the birds of prey. They were absolutely beautiful! The birds were all able to be there with government permission because they either imprinted on humans or were hurt and couldn't survive in the wild. These birds were biiiiig! It's almost peaceful in that area because they ask you to be quiet because noise startles the birds, and for a while it was just the 2 of us wandering so it was pretty silent which was nice. They were doing a show on wolves in that section a little later, which we weren't able to stick around for, but it sounded really neat. The map explained that the loop outside to see the different exhibits was about a half mile long. It would have been great to see everything, so definitely make the time if you have it! They even have kennels outside in the shade with water in case you are traveling with your dogs. I would definitely come back here! read more

See all

This is great museum, wonderfully curated. Lots to see and learn. Anyone visiting the Bend area needs to have this on their list!

We visit the HDM whenever we travel to the area. Their staff relates to the geo- history of the area and the preservation of the habitat, the flora, and fauna. We always learn something new and interesting. A must see stop! read more