(Photo | Courtesy of High Desert Museum)
Greetings from the High Desert Museum. We are thrilled to announce that we reopened on Saturday, December 5! Visitors may now enjoy the outdoor exhibits at the High Desert Museum for a reduced admission price five days a week, Saturday-Wednesday, through December. The store, Silver Sage Trading, and the patio of the Rimrock Café, complete with heat tables, are open, as well.
“We’re pleased to welcome visitors back to enjoy winter at the Museum,” says Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “We reopened for the first time in mid-June and are practiced now at operating with the best-possible safety protocols in place for visitors, volunteers and staff.”
The Museum closed on November 18 as part of measures aimed at mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the state’s criteria, museums may not open indoor exhibitions until their resident county moves from the Extreme Risk to the High Risk category. Deschutes County is presently in the Extreme Risk category.
In addition to new admission prices, the Museum is launching a new reduced admission rate for pre-K-12th-grade students and their caregivers in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Wonder Wednesdays provides $5 admission to help keep children engaged during comprehensive distance and hybrid learning. Wonder Wednesdays will not take place on school holidays, such as December 23 and 30.
“We are excited to offer families and learning pods the opportunity to make Wednesday a regular and accessible day of continued education,” Whitelaw says.
Timed tickets are encouraged, as Museum capacity is limited. Caregivers and students can secure timed entry tickets at highdesertmuseum.org/wonder-wednesdays. Group size is limited to ten.
Set on 135 acres with indoor and outdoor exhibitions, the Museum provides room to roam. The number of people visiting at any given moment is also capped to ensure adequate space for physical distancing.
The Museum requires visitors and staff, both in front of and behind the scenes, to wear face coverings. They are not required for those younger than age 2. Signs and reminders are present throughout the grounds to stay a wingspan apart to encourage physical distancing.
Visitors are encouraged to use a timed entry system for advance ticket purchase to help manage visitor numbers: highdesertmuseum.org/tickets. More information about safety measures at the Museum can be found at highdesertmuseum.org/reopening.
Exciting experiences await at the Museum. Daily programming will be added: Check highdesertmuseum.org/daily-schedule for details. See raptors up-close along the exterior of the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center. Visit the High Desert in 1904 at the Miller Family Ranch. And say hello to the three resident otters at the Museum: Pitch, Rogue and Brook.
“River otters are adapted to cold weather and are very active this time of year,” says Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson. “A snow day is especially one of the best days to come see the otters, because they will often be out digging tunnels and playing in the snow.
The public may continue to enjoy the Museum’s virtual offerings at highdesertmuseum.org/resources, a hub for virtual field trips, educational activities for children to do at home and other resources.
Here are details for visitors:
New Hours:
Open Saturday – Wednesday from 9am-4pm
Closed Thursday and Friday
New Rates:
$7 general admission, $6 seniors/college, $5 children
Open Spaces:
At this time our outdoor exhibits are open. This includes the Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill and the exterior portions of the Autzen Otter Exhibit and the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center. The indoor exhibits will be closed to the public.
Rimrock Café:
The Rimrock Café is open for outdoor dining and take-out only. The Café opens at 10am daily
Silver Sage Trading:
Silver Sage Trading is open for all your holiday shopping needs. Silver Sage Trading opens at 10am daily
Face coverings:
Face shields are no longer an acceptable form of face covering at the Museum, in alignment with the Oregon Health Authority’s updated recommendations. Face shields will only be accepted when the visitor has a valid medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask or when visitors need to see mouth motions in order to communicate (i.e. for communicating with people with hearing impairments).
Wearing face coverings is a requirement for all Museum visitors over age 2. Face coverings are available for purchase at Admissions for 75 cents each or in Silver Sage Trading store.
Staff are also required to wear face coverings both in front of and behind the scenes. An exception is wildlife curators when they are in close contact with certain animals, in which case they will physically distance from others.
