- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
3 reviews for High Desert Museum
We were on vacation in Sunriver, Oregon, and had read about the High Desert Museum just up the highway toward Bend. The museum happened to be our meeting spot for an excellent private tour of a local lava tube cave, but that's for another review.
This is a terrific museum, and much nicer than one would expect from a small community. The outdoor exhibit area winds through forested areas that stayed reasonable even on a 94 degree day--and we appreciated the occasional mist.
Outdoors, they've got an otter area that pleased the kids mightily, exhibits on forest ecology as well as lava formations, and the like. And a really surprising "farm" set up to look like a farmstead outside Bend would have looked in the 1850's-1880's. There were people in costume (quite a few) adding authenticity and answering questions about "life here on the farm" as well as assigning "chores" to willing kids--such as washing real clothes in a real washtub outdoors. Hard to get them lava stains out.
They have a working sawmill, using 1880s design and technology. On some Saturdays they actually fire the thing up (literally--it's steam driven) and mill lumber, which you can see in stacks behind the place. They apparently make good use of it.
Inside the museum proper, it's a very well designed, contemporary space with different emphasis in multiple sections. The design of many of these exhibits reminded us of the Field Museum in Chicago, so you can see why I was surprised at the quality here in the high desert, well away from large cities. Bend isn't tiny, but it ain't no Chicago.
The indoor exhibits feature excellent soundscapes from well hidden speakers, contributing 'natural sounds' to the environments, whether the mine, or water and animals, or Native Americans, etc. Great stuff, and well worth visiting with or without kids.
This museum rocks!
I have visited twice now & was thoroughly impressed both times. The exhibits are very well done & informative. They have both indoor & outdoor exhibits. We saw the birds of prey presentation & the kids loved it! They brought out a hawk and an owl, plus they also brought out a badger & a skunk. So cute to see them in action! My friend's 4 year old kept talking about how much he liked the hawk, but instead he kept saying "cock". He kept asking "Mommy, do you like the cock? Daddy, do you like the cock?" How precious!
There is really a lot to see so be sure not to miss anything. The bat exhibit was pretty cool, too.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (1)
This place gets my vote for the best museum in Oregon. Located just south of Bend, close to Sun River. It is a must see if you are visiting Central Oregon.
This museum has a great mix of pioneer (homesteader), cowboy and Native American exhibits as well as a large outdoor area with animals. Inside they have a portion of the museum where you walk through the development of the west. One section is on the plains, then you go through the coal mine, the western town, etc.
My favorite thing to do is go to the Bird of Prey show. They have a number of animals on exhibit (hawks, owls) that fly over the audience and it is part comedy act, part education. They also have a sea otter and porcupines outside. Lots of fish, lizards and snakes inside.
Awesome kids area with a puppet theatre and other dress up items. Large art gallery as well. Antiques, photographs, woven baskets, it is all there.
What this museum does exceptionally well are special programs. They have a saw mill and it is operational a few days during the summer. Typically on Father's Day. One time when we visited they had a special program on Smoke jumpers and the guys were there with all of their equipment and were great with the kids.
There is a homesteaders cabin that you can walk through and try your hand at pumping water or beating rugs. They also keep some wild horses there that they get from the high country and are sold at auction.
Very nice restaurant on-site with better than average food options. Fantastic store with artwork, jewelry, quilts and tons of toys and books.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)