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

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We attended the Birding for Breakfast event and had a fantastic time. Buying tickets online was easy and everything was very well organized from start to finish. The morning began with a light breakfast followed by a short, informative talk before heading outside. We were given maps (and loaner binoculars) showing birding locations around the property. Several bird experts joined the group and were incredibly helpful in pointing out species and answering questions. The grounds were beautiful, clean, and perfect for birding. As an added bonus, admission to the museum afterward was included, allowing us to explore at our own pace. I highly recommend both the museum and this event for anyone interested in nature or birding. read more

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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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

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

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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

One of the best museums I have experienced. Indoor and outdoor experiences accessible to all ages and physicalities. A docent greeted us, offering a brief overview of the museum. His guidance served us well. While the porcupine never showed his self, the red fox entertained us, running through this environment. The outdoor raptors live in cages designed for their specific needs. All are rehab birds who cannot be released. The otter was active in the water and in land, so everyone could see him. Enjoy! read more

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Best owl show I have ever seen. Way to keep your poise Alyssa. That is all I wanted to say but am forced to use 85 characters

So very grateful that one can travel relatively freely again regarding covid. I heard about the High Desert Museum several years ago from a coffee shop barista and was instantly intrigued. It was a goal to go to Bend once a year as there are just so many things to do there but the pandemic and a few other situations derailed that for several years. Finally this summer we made it to the museum and we were not disappointed in the slightest! We did not get to see many of the birds here. Mainly the raptors due to precautions taken to avoid them catching avian flu but we did get to see some owls. Additional animals we saw were otters, trout, porcupine, turtles, Black Widow spiders, rattlesnakes and a beautiful fox. There is other exhibits and displays here as well. There are some old ranch type structures on one end of the outdoor part of the museum. I was particularly impressed with the willow corral there! Inside the main building there was a utopian exhibit going over throughout recent history groups of people trying to create utopia towns or complexes and the fate of these efforts which was very fascinating to view and read. I also really enjoyed the gift shop as well. I found a few things I haven't stumbled across before or not very often. I bought some mushroom Jerky that I really liked and a sand art piece where if you tip it on one side the sand flows to the other side. I haven't seen one of those in a very long time and always wanted one. Highly recommend making this museum a stop if you are desiring to take in attractions in Bend! read more

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