High Desert Museum

High Desert Museum explores the wildlife, landscapes, cultures, and history of North America’s High Desert through a mix of museum galleries, live animals, and outdoor exhibits. Its 135-acre forested campus gives the experience an unusually broad scope, combining natural history and regional culture rather than functioning as a conventional zoo or history museum.

Wildlife exhibits focus largely on animals connected to the region, with river otters, porcupines, reptiles, amphibians, and birds of prey among the residents. The Desertarium highlights species adapted to dry environments, while the Birds of Prey Center features owls, hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures. Elsewhere, interpretive trails and exhibits examine forests and other High Desert ecosystems. Cultural areas add another dimension, including galleries devoted to Plateau Indian Nations and Western history, along with an outdoor ranch and sawmill representing early 20th-century life. The combination suits travelers interested in understanding the High Desert as both a wildlife habitat and a region shaped by human history.