(Desi the red-tailed hawk | Photo by Jon Nelson)
Winter Break at the Museum
Explore the wonders of the High Desert
From Indigenous art to wildlife encounters to the secrets of soil, the Museum is packed with wonder during winter break! Plus, we are open every day except Christmas. Here’s why today should be a Museum day!
Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky
Open through January 18, 2026; free with Admission
Experience Joe Feddersen’s inspiring artwork up close at the Museum! The exhibition features nearly 100 works, including 50 baskets of various sizes, colors, shapes and materials. Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky is a career retrospective of the nationally renowned Indigenous artist. Organized by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington.
Joe Feddersen (b. 1953, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), Drizzle, 2016, relief and stencil monoprint with collage, staples, and spray paint, 20 ½ x 18 in. (52.1 x 45.7 cm). Collection of the artist; courtesy studio e gallery, Seattle, Washington. Photograph by Dean Davis. © Joe Feddersen
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Dig underground in Soil Alive!
Open through March 29, 2026; free with Admission
Soil Alive! beckons visitors underground to explore the subterranean world beneath us in a family-friendly interactive exhibition. Help mycellium “arms” connect with a Ponderosa pine sapling nearby! Use a giant magnifying glass to find hidden animals.
Just below our feet, there is a universe that is busy, active and alive. Are you ready to go on a subterranean adventure?
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Get up close with High Desert wildlife
Open daily; free with Admission
Have you met our newest porcupine, Sage? She is often exploring the porcupine exhibition with her friend, Juniper. But you also might get to see her up close during the daily Mammal Encounter at the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey pavilion.
Sage is just one of many animals in our care. Who will you see during your visit?
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Explore the Ponderosa Playscape
Open daily; free with Admission
If the weather is just right, the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape is the perfect spot for kids of all ages to run, explore and play. Featuring a pinecone portal big enough for an adult to walk through, the playscape engages children’s playful side while encouraging them to learn about the ponderosa pine tree.
The playscape is located above the Autzen Otter Exhibit near the Finding the Light art installation.
