High Desert Museum wildlife | Photo by Jon Nelson
The fun is just getting started during this winter break. Add a museum day and some wonder to your holiday! The museum has a full lineup of activities each day, as listed below.
Winter Daily Schedule*
*Subject to change, please call the admissions desk at 541-382-4754, ext. 271 if you have any questions.
- 10:30am: High Desert Natural History Walk
Explore the museum grounds on this guided walk and learn about plants and animals that live in the High Desert.
- 11:00am and 3:00pm: Bird of Prey Encounter
Have you ever been eye-to-eye with a bird of prey? Meet a raptor up close and learn about its fascinating adaptations. Discover how to identify these aerial predators, learn about their habitat and hear how we can ensure their future.
- 12:15pm: Spirit of the West Tour
In the Hall of Exploration and Settlement
Take a guided journey through a Native American rock shelter, fur trader encampment, silver mine, the Oregon Trail and an 1885 settlement town. Explore how the High Desert changed dramatically in the 19th century.
- 1:30pm: Otter Encounter
Explore the role this charismatic animal plays in riparian ecosystems of the High Desert. Where are they found? What do they eat? How are they an indicator of a healthy river community?
- 2:30pm: High Desert Hooves
Mammals with hooves, such as mule deer and pronghorn, are some of the most iconic species in the High Desert. Find out how scientists study their migration patterns and manage challenging issues facing these populations.
Other High Desert Museum News
Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi Fujii Closing
The final days of Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi Fujii, are here. Don’t miss your chance to explore artwork created during World War II by a Japanese-American imprisoned in a remote High Desert camp. In 1936, Seattle resident Takuichi Fujii was an artist on the rise with a family and successful business. Six years later, he and his family were torn from their home and held at Idaho’s Minidoka Relocation Center. Through it all, Fujii continued his artistic practice.
The exhibition closes Sunday, January 5, and is free with admission.
Winter Art Series
The next wave in the museum’s Winter Art Series is around the corner. Kick off the new year with the 2D Works Lecture on Thursday, January 2. Return on Saturday, January 4 for a hands-on weekend workshop. Each event can be enjoyed individually or in continuum. All lectures and workshops are FREE to tribal members. Click here to register: highdesertmuseum.org. Cost is $10; members receive a 20% discount.
The High Desert Museum is open New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, from 10:00am – 4:00pm.