The live, huggable icons will be welcoming visitors daily through the summer.  

Two classic American icons will appear live, daily, with a multitude of hands-on activities exploring the importance of protecting forest ecosystems during the exhibit Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home, May 11 through Sept. 16 at the High Desert Museum.

Smokey Bear, Woodsy Owl, and their forest friends will be welcoming visitors daily, 10am to 2pm, to the museum’s largest gallery, transformed into woodland, urban and stream settings. The exhibit’s fun and engaging hands-on activities encourage families to spend time together outdoors, and inspire children to discover and care for the natural resources that sustain our world – our home sweet home.

The nearly 1,500-square-foot, green-built exhibit’s hands-on activities and related programming underscore the importance of protecting ecosystems and highlight ways to reduce, reuse and recycle resources. It offers a variety of educational activities, costumes, puppets and props that are especially appealing for children ages 2-8.  

Visitors can immediately put their inspiration into action by heading outside at the Museum to do the Smokey Trek. Children will use their trek booklets and visit stations created by the Museum along its paths, and discover the interdependence of elements in an ecosystem and a healthy forest.  

The Museum and the U.S. Forest Service have a long and proud tradition of reaching out to Americans on behalf of conservation. Smokey Bear is perhaps one of the most recognized symbols, by both children and adults, for his wildfire prevention message; while Woodsy Owl’s message covers multiple areas of conservation. The U.S. Forest Service is working with partners on dozens of projects to get kids away from the TV, away from the computer, away from video games and out into the forest—face to face with nature, up close and personal. This exhibit will help bring kids to nature and nature to kids.

The Museum is also creating special programs related to the exhibit that will happen all summer long. Check our web site, www.highdesertmuseum.org for more forest fun through Sept. 16.
Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with the US Forest Service. Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl are protected by Congressional law and are used with permission from the US Forest Service. All Rights Reserved.