High Desert Museum

The museum grew out of the vision of Donald Kerr, a naturalist with a lifelong passion for birds of prey. In the 1970s he founded the Western Natural History Institute, and in 1982 that work opened to the public as the High Desert Museum. From the start the idea was different from a typical museum: to tell the whole story of the high desert, its wildlife, its landscapes, its Native peoples, and its settlers, in one place, with living animals and real experiences rather than glass cases alone.

That founding spirit still runs through everything. The birds of prey center carries Kerr's name, and the museum has kept growing, adding exhibits, trails, and habitats across its acreage while holding onto the hands-on, close-to-the-animals feel that made it special.

The stars for most visitors are the animals. The Donald Kerr Birds of Prey Center is home to regional raptors, including bald eagles and a range of hawks and owls, many of them birds that could not survive in the wild, shown in daily flight and talk programs. Outside, a family of North American river otters glides through a stream-and-pool habitat with underwater viewing windows, endlessly entertaining.

Indoors, the Desertarium introduces the small, secretive creatures of the sagebrush country, the snakes, lizards, tortoises, amphibians, and burrowing animals that most people never see. Together the living collection is a crash course in the surprising richness of a landscape that looks empty at first glance.

The museum takes the human history of the region seriously. By Hand Through Memory and the Hall of Plateau Indians explore the cultures of the Columbia Plateau tribes through their own objects, art, and voices, a thoughtful and respectful telling of a living heritage rather than a vanished one.

The Spirit of the West exhibit walks you through the settler history of the desert in a series of life-size scenes, from a hard-rock mine to a frontier boardwalk. Rotating art shows and special exhibitions round out the indoor experience, so there is usually something new even for repeat visitors.

A network of trails winds out through the pines to living-history sites, including a homestead ranch and a working sawmill dating to the early 1900s, where interpreters in period dress bring the daily grind of frontier life to hand. Along the way are more animal habitats and quiet forest, so the outdoor half of the museum is as much a walk in the woods as a history lesson.

Because so much of the museum is outside, the seasons change the visit. Summer is green and busy, fall and spring are crisp and quiet, and a snowy winter day turns the trails into something out of a storybook. Whatever the weather, there is enough indoors to keep a family happy for hours.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

A lot, blending a wildlife park, a history museum, and an art space across indoor galleries and 135 wooded acres of outdoor trails. You can watch river otters, porcupines, a fox, and birds of prey up close, walk through recreated pioneer and Native American history, and explore living-history buildings from Oregon's past. Daily talks by naturalists bring the animals and exhibits to life.

Give it at least a couple of hours, and a half-day is not too much, especially with kids or a mixed group. The combination of indoor exhibits and outdoor wildlife and history trails means there is something for every interest, which makes it a smart anchor for a day in Bend. Arriving earlier means smaller crowds and more flexibility to catch the daily programs.

Excellent for kids. The live otters, porcupines, and raptors are big hits, the short, lively naturalist talks hold their attention, and the outdoor trails give them room to move between exhibits. It manages to keep both children and adults engaged at the same time, which is not easy, and makes it a reliable rainy-day or hot-day option.

In summer, the museum runs a popular outdoor birds-of-prey program in which specialists fly rehabilitated raptors over the audience, a memorable, up-close look at these birds in the air. It is a seasonal highlight that often requires a separate ticket and tends to sell out, so it is worth checking the schedule and reserving ahead if you want to see it.

It is enjoyable year-round, since so much is indoors, but the outdoor exhibits, trails, and the summer raptor show are at their best in the warmer months. Whenever you go, an earlier arrival beats the midday crowds and gives you the best chance at the daily animal talks. Check the day's program schedule when you arrive so you do not miss the otter or bird presentations.