High Desert Museum
- Museum
- Regional draw
- Bend
High Desert Museum brings the natural and cultural history of the interior West together south of Bend.
Indoor galleries, outdoor exhibits and wildlife presentations explore the relationships between people, landscapes and animals across the high desert.
Plan for a mixture of indoor browsing and time outside rather than a single gallery circuit. Changing art and history exhibitions complement the museum’s regional focus, while scheduled programs can add context to the wildlife and living-history areas. Review the museum’s daily schedule and access information before setting out, and dress for the weather if you intend to explore the grounds.
Visitor details reviewed October 18, 2026. Check official visitor information for current access, admission, and operating arrangements. View on OpenStreetMap.
Image credit: Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons. Original source. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped for display.
Nearby
More places nearby
Deschutes Historical MuseumDeschutes Historical Museum occupies Bend’s former Reid School, a substantial early-twentieth-century school building near downtown.
Pilot Butte State Scenic ViewpointPilot Butte rises from Bend as an old volcanic cinder cone, offering a distinctive way to see the city within its high-desert surroundings.