Many of us have this idea about deserts that they’re empty—just hot, sandy stretches of land without life. If there’s one thing you learn while visiting Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum with kids, though, it’s that deserts are actually fascinating, diverse places brimming with life.

If you’re headed to Bend, OR or other parts of Central Oregon, don’t miss out on visiting the High Desert Museum with kids—or grown-ups! This gorgeous museum is full of exhibits my kiddos loved, and the information goes in-depth enough that the adults will learn a ton, too.

Most importantly, the High Desert Museum is fun and interactive. Whether you’re planning a trip to Central Oregon soon, or you’re considering going in the future, read on for everything you need to know about exploring the High Desert Museum with kids. And don’t forget to pin this post so you remember where to find these tips later!

An immersive experience at the High Desert Museum with kids

I visited the High Desert Museum with my kids, husband and in-laws in August when we took a family camping trip in Central Oregon. It wasn’t the first time I’d visited: Since I grew up in Oregon, we took a trip the museum when I was little—but today’s museum blew away the vague memories I had from my childhood.

I was beyond impressed by Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum, which is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Bend, OR. Yes, the museum included static displays teaching about the region’s history, but it also included live animals, fine art exhibits, interactive and kid-friendly stations and even live music!

When you’re planning a visit to Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum with kids, you’ll want all the details to map out your trip and take full advantage of this family-friendly destination.

Animals at the High Desert Museum

When I first started to plan our trip to the High Desert Museum with kids, I learned that the museum is also home to a whole bunch of animals! Porcupines, owls, eagles, lizards, tarantulas and even river otters delighted my kids. My girls were thrilled to discover parts of the High Desert Museum were more like the zoo!

We planned our trip to the High Desert Museum around the otter feeding time. There, one of the animal keepers tossed fish to the playful creatures in their gorgeous outdoor habitat while explaining river otter behavior.

For example, did you know a group of otters is a romp of otters? Use that tidbit on your next trivia night!

Level 10 travel tip: The otter habitat gets crowded during weekend feeding times, which makes it hard for kids to see. Instead of standing around the outdoor exhibit, go underground, which is much more spacious—and where kids can watch the river otters underwater.

We also loved the aviary, which is home to birds of prey such as owls, eagles and the like. These are birds that have either been injured or imprinted on humans, so they can’t survive in the wild. They live at the High Desert Museum so we can learn about these magnificent animals.

The museum hosts a bird show, Raptors of the Desert Sky. We didn’t go to it this time, but it’ll be a fun addition to our trip on our next visit to the High Desert Museum with kids. Admission is between $3 and $5, and tickets need to be purchased at least a half-hour before the show.

We didn’t want to miss the porcupine family, either. The exhibit is just to the right of the main entryway. For some reason, my kids love porcupines.

Check the High Desert Museum schedule on their website or when you arrive for other animal talks, like the ones about fish, reptiles and other critters.

Hands-on learning at the High Desert Museum

One of the first things we saw in the High Desert Museum with kids was the Hall of Plateau Indians. The girls were fascinated by the teepee and of course wanted to climb in—which they couldn’t do.

They did have an opportunity to learn by touch and asking questions at a volunteer-run station next to the exhibit. There, the girls could touch and ask questions about common plants different Plains tribes relied on for food; they also had a chance to handle arrowheads and other artifacts.

Throughout the museum, you’ll find hands-on learning experiences to engage young kids.

Learn through play at the High Desert Museum

The High Desert Museum is one of many that have come a long way from the old model where kids are told to learn passively—and not touch!

The High Desert Museum has three phenomenal ways kids can learn through play. These interactive areas let kids be kids and expend some serious energy, all while exploring what a high desert habitat is.

Dig, Crawl, Climb!

Just outside the indoor section of the museum, follow a short path past a covered wagon to the Dig, Crawl, Climb! outdoor play space. My girls were beyond excited to find this playground-like area. We had been walking around inside the museum for about 45 minutes, and they were ready to play!

Hands-down, their favorite part of the outdoor play space at the museum was the gigantic spider web. We played spiders and flies with some other families who visited the High Desert Museum with kids.

This area also has a sand pit where kids can dig and a long tunnel kids can crawl through, just like many of the animals who live in the high desert.

Level 10 travel tip: Make sure you have wipes or are ready to return to the bathroom indoors if your kids dig. They’ll be covered in a fine layer of dust.

Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill

Talk about bringing history to life: At the High Desert Museum’s Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill, volunteer actors in period costumes were working on chores and tasks just as their turn-of-the-century counterparts would have done.

My girls were obsessed with washing laundry the old-fashioned way. They took socks and bloomers from the clothesline, agitated them in soapy water, then wrung them out.

Their enthusiasm made me hope they’d be a little more proactive with laundry at home, but so far, no luck…

They also got to draw water from a well and use it to water a garden. This activity was more familiar since they help me in our garden at home.

Finally, we got to see how someone would have used an old-fashioned fireplace to bake! A reenactor was making chocolate chip cookies—though unfortunately she didn’t share the delicious-smelling results.

All the volunteers were in character, so they spoke to us as if they were really living in 1904. The girls are still a bit young to totally grasp that, but they did love the hands-on aspects of this outdoor area of the High Desert Museum.

Whose Home? indoor playground

We think of deserts being hot, but Central Oregon’s High Desert region actually gets a ton of snow in the winter. That’s why having an indoor educational play area is so clutch.

The weather was warm when we visited the High Desert Museum with kids, but my girls loved the Whose Home? play area just the same. There, they could climb pretend cliffs and explore rocky outcroppings—perfect for my littles, as they will seriously climb anything.

The Whose Home? indoor playground showed kids that different animals live in different habitats and find their own niches in the same space. The play area had puppets and even costumes (Maxine was dressed up as an eagle for much of our time here).

Edie’s favorite part was moving little rocks throughout the cliff to find metal replicas of animals, from lizards to spiders. There are so many animals to discover in a real desert, and the Whose Home? play area was a safe way to explore that idea—through play!

Food at the High Desert Museum

We stayed at the High Desert Museum with kids for a half-day, which meant we were all hungry! I didn’t want to risk hangry meltdowns on the way back to our campsite, so we stopped for lunch at the museum’s Rimrock Cafe.

I was quite impressed with the museum cafe menu. Not only did they have kid-friendly food like sandwiches and yogurt parfait cups; they had food that I actually wanted to eat!

I ordered a gluten-free Southwest quinoa salad and fruit; Hubs got a caesar chicken wrap. Remarkably, my kids actually ate a full meal here—I’m not sure if that’s testament to the quality of the food or just that they were worn out and starving from all our play and exploration! Either way, it was a major win. (You guys know already that my kids are picky eaters and that I’ve shared the many ways we encourage them to eat on vacation.)

The Rimrock Cafe has a spacious outdoor seating area. It’s shaded and lets in a comfortable breeze. I’d absolutely recommend eating outdoors here if weather allows.

You can bring in your own food, but the museum asks that you not eat it in the cafe, but rather in Classroom A so cafe patrons have room to sit.

Native cultures at the High Desert Museum

Out West, relationships between Native peoples and settlers were/are complicated—and often violent and repressive. At the permanent exhibit By Hand Through Memory, you can introduce your kids to the real history of how the reservation system affected Native Americans in the High Desert.

I appreciate that in addition to highlighting Native culture by showing beading, headdresses, lodging and other Native traditions, the museum also addresses the exploitative treatment of Native Americans.

This conversation might continue in your travels through Central Oregon. For example, when we drove to Central Oregon from Portland, we passed through the Warm Springs Reservation. The drive gave us a chance to talk to the girls about independent Native nations within our country. It was hard to explain in a way that made sense to them, but starting these difficult conversations early is absolutely crucial in raising culturally sensitive, compassionate and aware young citizens.

More tips to visit the High Desert Museum with kids

Don’t feed the animals—people food makes chipmunks and ground squirrels sick.

Pick your trails wisely—a few of the paths in the museum’s outdoor grounds are steep and rough. Especially if you’re using a stroller or have mobility limitations, stick to the paths marked as easy to navigate on your museum map.

Plan for outdoor exploration. About half of the museum is outdoors, which is amazing: That way, you learn about the High Desert while actually being in that environment! But you’ll need to plan accordingly. On sunny days, lather the kids with sunscreen, and dress in layers. In the winter, you’ll need coats and boots.

Whether you go in the summer, winter, or anytime in between, visiting the High Desert Museum with kids is a wonderful and fun way to get to know Central Oregon.

PS – Looking for more kid-friendly activities in Central Oregon? Read my post on hiking Lava River Cave, the coolest underground lava tunnel you’ll ever visit!