The High Desert Museum, five miles south of Bend on Highway 97, is one of the Pacific Northwest's most engaging regional museums. It covers the natural and cultural history of the Columbia Plateau and Great Basin — an area that doesn't get the attention of the Cascades or the coast, but is richer and stranger than most people expect.
The living exhibit is the highlight. Otters, porcupines, raptors, and a river otter habitat are all part of the experience, along with a reconstructed 1880s sawmill, a sheepherder's camp, and a settler's homestead that bring the region's history to life. The Spirit of the West galleries hold a serious collection of Western American art alongside Native American cultural objects from the Plateau tribes. It is the kind of museum that takes a full half-day and leaves you wanting to come back.
Admission is moderately priced; members of AAA get a discount. The museum is open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas.