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High Desert Museum

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uuid0005oq9

Namestring
High Desert Museum
Legal namestring
The High Desert Museum
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
1982
Descriptiontext

The High Desert Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded by Donald M. Kerr in 1982 in Bend, Oregon. It operates a 135-acre campus with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space, interpreting the 11-state High Desert region (from the eastern slope of the Cascades and Sierra to the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau). The product surface combines two permanent indoor galleries (Spirit of the West and By Hand Through Memory), the Desertarium, three changing galleries hosting up to 12 new exhibitions per year, and outdoor interpretive exhibits including the Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, a 1904 living-history High Desert Ranch, a 1933 U.S. Forest Service ranger station relocated from Nevada, the 2025 E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape, and care facilities for more than 100 non-releasable wildlife ambassadors. The Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, an American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution, an AZA institutional member, and a 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service recipient, recognized as the largest cultural institution in Oregon east of the Cascades. Underlying technology is operational and educational rather than proprietary: live animal-care facilities, a 1904 Lazinka steam-driven sawmill retrofitted to run on electricity, the Veevart online ticketing/donation/membership platform, Jotform registration forms, Blackbaud adoption portal, and ArcGIS StoryMaps for the virtual "Stories from the High Desert" tour.

The Museum serves a diversified audience spanning families with children (Backpack Explorers, Kids Camps, Ponderosa Playscape), K-8 schools and educators (NGSS-aligned Discovery Classes at $175 on-site / $150 off-site per class, the Free Field Trip Program, the Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop), individual donors and patrons (Desert Sage Society giving circles from $1,000 to $25,000, Adopt an Animal tiers, Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society), corporate sponsors (15+ Presenting Sponsors including Avion Water, BASX Solutions, Deschutes Brewery, Brooks Resources, D.A. Davidson, Old Mill District, and ~10 Supporting Sponsors), wildlife and nature enthusiasts, art and culture audiences, Indigenous Plateau communities (notably co-curation with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and other Plateau nations), visitors with disabilities (Museum & Me after-hours program, sensory packs), homeschool groups, and the literary community (Waterston Desert Writing Prize, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model spanning general admission and special-program ticketing (e.g., Raptors of the Desert Sky $8, Bat Walk $10, Welcome the Night $10), annual memberships with a $30 Smithsonian Affiliate reciprocal add-on, the five-tier Desert Sage Society patron circles, corporate memberships ($1,000/yr) and sponsorships ($2,500+), grants from over a dozen foundations (Ford Family Foundation, MillsDavis, Schwemm, Reser, Bloomfield, Robert Lehman, Storms, Gray, Pacific Power, Chambers, James and Shirley Rippey, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon DEQ, St. Charles), direct donations, the three-tier Adopt an Animal program ($30-$175), on-site retail at Silver Sage Trading and Rimrock Café, traveling-exhibition licensing via Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance, school and group program fees, and ticketed signature events (37th annual High Desert Rendezvous, Waterston Ceremony, Art in the West silent auction, Lost in Place Intensive at $1,200/person). Distribution is anchored on the year-round Bend campus with Veevart-powered self-serve online channels, Jotform registration, Smithsonian Affiliate reciprocal reach, and school outreach extending beyond the campus. The Museum does not disclose revenue figures and has no public developer API or disclosed AI/ML capability.

Short descriptiontext

The High Desert Museum is a Bend, Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982, operating a 135-acre campus with 100,000+ sq ft of exhibits and 12 annual exhibitions serving families, schools, donors, and tourists across the 11-state High Desert region.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
11–50
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersBend, United States
HQ citystring
Bend
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
natural history museum, wildlife conservation, cultural education programs, museum memberships, exhibition programming
Industry3 codes
1Natural History Museums
CodeTHAJADACPrimaryYes
2Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty)
CodeBPAGAHAAPrimaryNo
3Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops
CodeCRALAJAGPrimaryNo
NAICS code3 codes
  • Museums712110
  • Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions712
  • Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions71219
SIC code2 codes
  • Services-Amusement & Recreation Services7900
  • Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation7990
Product category
Natural History and Cultural Museum
GTM motion5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model11 records
1General Admission and Special Program Tickets
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Daily admission at the gate and special ticketed programs (Raptors of the Desert Sky $8, Bat Walk Wednesday $10, Welcome the Night $10, Waterston Ceremony $10) sold through Museum box office and Veevart online ticketing; members receive 20% discounts on paid special programs.

highdesertmuseum.org
2Membership and Donor Programs
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Annual Museum memberships providing year-round free admission and discounts; Desert Sage Society patron circles ($1,000 Fellow's / $2,500 Curator's / $5,000 Steward's / $10,000 Director's Council / $25,000 Founder's Circle); Legacy Giving and Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society planned gifts.

highdesertmuseum.org
3Corporate Sponsorship and Corporate Membership
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Corporate Membership ($1,000/yr) and Sponsorship packages ($2,500+) including High Desert Rendezvous sponsorships, Presenting Sponsors, Supporting Sponsors, and Free Family Saturdays sponsor; transferable corporate passes issued.

highdesertmuseum.org
4Grants and Foundation Funding
TypeOne Time License
Description

Grants from foundations including Ford Family Foundation, MillsDavis Foundation, Bloomfield Family Foundation, Reser Family Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, Storms Family Foundation, Schwemm Family Foundation, James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation, Gray Family Foundation, Pacific Power Foundation, Chambers Family Foundation, St. Charles Health System, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon DEQ, and others supporting Kids Curate, Free Field Trips, Education, and wildlife conservation.

highdesertmuseum.org
5Adopt an Animal Program
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Tiered symbolic adoption packages ($30 Keeper / $65 Companion / $175 Guardian) supporting wildlife care; funds defray the $1,700/year cost per eagle and up to $7,500/year cost per otter.

highdesertmuseum.org
6Direct Donations
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Online, mail-in, stock, ACH, sustaining monthly/quarterly, and Donor Advised Fund contributions; tax-deductible under 501(c)3 (Tax ID 51-0179336).

highdesertmuseum.org
7Traveling Exhibitions Licensing
TypeLicensing Royalties
Description

Lease of internally-curated exhibitions (e.g., Innovation Lab / Nature's Blueprint: Biomimicry in Art and Design through Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance; Painting Oregon's Harvest by Kathy Deggendorfer) to other Western history museums and organizations with participation fees scaled to host budget.

highdesertmuseum.org
8On-site Retail and Café
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Silver Sage Trading Post (gift shop) and Rimrock Café on-site, including staff discounts and event concessions.

highdesertmuseum.org
9Event and Program Revenue
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Ticketed special events (High Desert Rendezvous fundraiser, Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, Art in the West silent auction, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive $1,200/person, Sawmill Demonstrations, Bat Walk, Welcome the Night).

highdesertmuseum.org
10School and Group Program Fees
TypeProfessional Services
Description

Discovery Class fees ($175 on-site / $150 off-site per class up to 30 students), self-guided field trips, and teacher professional development (Beneath the Surface: A Teacher's Guide to Groundwater).

highdesertmuseum.org
11Smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership Add-on
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

$30 annual Smithsonian Affiliate add-on to a High Desert Museum membership, enabling reciprocal benefits at participating Smithsonian Affiliate museums.

highdesertmuseum.org
Marketing channels9 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels7 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Pricing details11 tiers
1Special program tickets (general public)
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Raptors of the Desert Sky $8 general admission (members 20% discount); tickets must be purchased from Admissions by 11:00 am on the day.

highdesertmuseum.org
2Bat Walk Wednesday evening program
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

$10 per person; members receive 20% discount; registration required, space limited, weather-appropriate clothing required.

highdesertmuseum.org
3Welcome the Night 2026 evening event
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

$10 for adults and children aged 3+; free for ages 2 and under; members receive 20% discount.

highdesertmuseum.org
4Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Tickets $10 with a drink ticket; members receive 20% discount. Includes 6:00 pm reception and 7:00 pm program with book signing.

highdesertmuseum.org
5Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

$1,200 per person all-inclusive weekend at Lodge at Summer Lake, Oregon (July 30 – August 2, 2026); limited to 12 participants.

highdesertmuseum.org
6School Discovery Classes
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

$175 per class at the Museum, $150 per class at the school, up to 30 students per class; classes range 30-45 minutes; on-site options only for Dig This! and Animal Enrichment.

highdesertmuseum.org
7Adopt an Animal symbolic adoption
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Three tiers: $30 Keeper (certificate + info card), $65 Companion (+ plush animal), $175 Guardian (+ two guest passes, admission for two to Raptors flight show, one-on-one meeting with wildlife curator). Ships within 2 weeks.

highdesertmuseum.org
8Corporate Membership and Sponsorship
ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceAnnual
Notes

Corporate Membership from $1,000 annually (transferable pass + store/café/event discounts); Sponsorship from $2,500+; High Desert Rendezvous, Free Family Saturdays, Presenting and Supporting Sponsor tiers available.

highdesertmuseum.org
9Desert Sage Society patron circles
ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceAnnual
Notes

Fellow's Circle $1,000 / Curator's Circle $2,500 / Steward's Circle $5,000 / Director's Council $10,000 / Founder's Circle $25,000; separate from Museum membership; benefits include exhibition previews, curator-led viewings, travel program, vault tour (Director's), and annual Founder's Circle dinner (Founder's).

highdesertmuseum.org
10Smithsonian Affiliate reciprocal membership add-on
ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceAnnual
Notes

$30 annually added to a High Desert Museum membership; provides reciprocal free admission for two, gift store discounts, and one-year Smithsonian Magazine subscription at participating Affiliate museums.

highdesertmuseum.org
11Donations and Legacy Giving
ModelOtherBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Online one-time, sustaining monthly/quarterly, stock, ACH, bequests, retirement assets, life insurance, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, donor advised funds, real estate, securities. Tax-deductible under 501(c)3 Tax ID 51-0179336.

highdesertmuseum.org
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 of 3 records shown
1Rimrock Café
Description

Museum's on-site café offering food and beverage service to visitors.

highdesertmuseum.org
+2 more records
Core offering1 text field

The High Desert Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum that operates a 135-acre campus in Bend, Oregon delivering indoor gallery exhibitions, outdoor wildlife and living-history exhibits, and daily animal-encounter programming that explores the art, culture, history, and natural world of the High Desert. It sells daily admissions, ticketed special programs (e.g., Raptors of the Desert Sky, Bat Walk, Welcome the Night), memberships and Desert Sage Society giving circles, school Discovery Classes, the Adopt an Animal conservation program, and signature fundraising events such as the High Desert Rendezvous and Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Revenue is supplemented by on-site retail (Silver Sage Trading), café operations (Rimrock Café), corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and traveling-exhibition licensing to peer museums.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

The High Desert Museum operates a single integrated visitor experience built on a 135-acre campus in Bend, Oregon with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space. Its offering combines two permanent indoor exhibit galleries (Spirit of the West and By Hand Through Memory) plus the Desertarium with a continuously rotating slate of up to 12 changing exhibitions per year (e.g., Under Pressure, Drawn West, Miguel Almeida, Art in the West 2026). This is layered with a daily programs slate (Raptors of the Desert Sky, Otter Encounter, Wolves in the West, Bird of Prey Encounter, Desert Dwellers, living history at the 1904 High Desert Ranch) and outdoor permanent exhibits including the Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, High Desert Ranger Station, Changing Forest, and the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape. Education products (Discovery Classes, Backpack Explorers, Kids Camps, the Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop, and the Free Field Trip Program) and access programs (Museum & Me) extend the reach, while signature events (High Desert Rendezvous, Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive) and the Adopt an Animal / Membership / Desert Sage Society giving programs provide sustainable support. The Museum also runs the Mazama Newt Conservation Program and offers a Traveling Exhibitions lease program to peer institutions.

Product and service20 records
1Changing Exhibitions Program
CategoryMuseum Exhibitions
Description

Rotating slate of up to 12 exhibitions per year across three changing galleries, connecting visitors to the art, history, culture, and natural history of the High Desert region. Includes recent and upcoming exhibitions such as Under Pressure, Miguel Almeida: Las Manos que dan de Comer, Drawn West, Kids Curate 2026, and Art in the West 2026.

2Permanent Indoor Exhibits
CategoryMuseum Exhibitions
Description

Two permanent indoor exhibit galleries (Spirit of the West historical walk-through and By Hand Through Memory Indigenous Plateau exhibit, opened 1999) plus the Desertarium and Marie Watt's Blanket Stories sculpture, spanning the High Desert's natural and cultural history.

3Permanent Outdoor Exhibits
CategoryMuseum Exhibitions
Description

Outdoor interpretive exhibits across the 135-acre campus, including the 1904 High Desert Ranch, Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, 1933 High Desert Ranger Station, Changing Forest trail, and the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape (opened 2025).

4Daily Programs and Live Animal Encounters
CategoryDaily Programming
Description

Daily interactive experiences and animal encounters scheduled throughout the day, including Raptors of the Desert Sky, Otter Encounter, Wolves in the West, Horses on the Range, Desert Dwellers, Bird of Prey Encounter, Nature Walk, High Desert Ranger Station interpretation, and Sawmill Demonstrations. Summer programming runs May 23 through September 7.

5Discovery Class Education Program
CategoryEducation Programs
Description

NGSS-aligned facilitated school programs for Kindergarten through 8th grade, offered on-site at the Museum ($175 per class, up to 30 students) or off-site at schools ($150 per class), covering animal adaptations, fossils, habitats, volcanoes, and groundwater in 30-45 minute sessions.

6Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop
CategoryProfessional Development
Description

Two-year STEM professional development program for upper elementary and middle school educators exploring groundwater, hydrology, and ecology. Includes a 3-day intensive workshop, up to $1,000 in stipends, fully funded buses and substitutes, and a $200 supply budget.

7Backpack Explorers and Kids Camps
CategoryEducation Programs
Description

Pre-school programs for ages 3-5 with adult chaperones (Backpack Explorers) and spring, summer, and no-school day camps for elementary-aged students offering hands-on learning experiences.

8Free Field Trip Program
CategoryAccess Programs
Description

Free and reduced-cost field trip program covering admission for students, chaperones, and teachers plus transportation costs when possible, for schools meeting Oregon Department of Education Community Eligibility Provision guidelines.

9Museum & Me Access Program
CategoryAccess Programs
Description

After-hours program offering a quieter time for children and adults with physical, intellectual, or social disabilities to enjoy the Museum. Free for individuals, friends, and family, with sensory packs available.

10Adopt an Animal Program
CategoryConservation Programs
Description

Symbolic animal adoption program with three tiers (Keeper $30, Companion $65, Guardian $175) supporting care for more than 100 animals including bald eagles, barn owls, bobcats, desert tortoises, falcons, great horned owls, river otters, porcupines, western rattlesnakes, and red-tailed hawks. Funds defray the $1,700/year per-eagle and up to $7,500/year per-otter care costs.

11Mazama Newt Conservation Program
CategoryConservation Programs
Description

Conservation partnership with the National Park Service and Oregon Zoo to protect the genetically distinct Mazama newt, an apex Crater Lake predator threatened by invasive Signal crayfish. The Museum developed the first-ever aquaria care protocols for the species, with 19 newts under Museum care as of August 2024.

12Museum Membership and Desert Sage Society Giving Circles
CategoryMembership and Patron Programs
Description

Annual memberships plus a leadership giving society with tiers Fellow's Circle ($1,000), Curator's Circle ($2,500), Steward's Circle ($5,000), Director's Council ($10,000), and Founder's Circle ($25,000), offering exhibition previews, curator-led tours, behind-the-scenes experiences, and travel programs.

13Corporate Membership and Sponsorship Program
CategoryCorporate Partnership Programs
Description

Corporate membership ($1,000/year, transferable pass plus store/café/event discounts) and sponsorship packages ($2,500+) including High Desert Rendezvous title, presenting, supporting, and Free Family Saturdays sponsorships.

14Legacy Giving (Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society)
CategoryPlanned Giving
Description

Planned giving program accepting bequests, retirement assets, life insurance, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, securities, real estate, and donor advised fund gifts, supporting the Museum's endowment and recognizing legacy donors through the Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society.

15Smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership Add-on
CategoryMembership Programs
Description

$30 annual add-on to a High Desert Museum membership that provides reciprocal free admission and discounts at participating Smithsonian Affiliate museums nationwide plus a one-year Smithsonian Magazine subscription.

16High Desert Rendezvous Annual Fundraiser
CategorySignature Events
Description

Annual signature fundraising event with dinner, art, wildlife encounters, live auction, and raffle; the 2026 event is the 37th annual and supports the Museum's educational programs and exhibitions.

17Waterston Desert Writing Prize
CategoryLiterary Programs
Description

Annual literary prize established in 2014, providing financial and other support to writers whose work reflects a connection to the desert, with an annual ceremony and the Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive ($1,200 all-inclusive weekend, July 30-August 2, 2026).

18Traveling Exhibitions Licensing Program
CategoryTraveling Exhibitions
Description

License of internally-curated traveling exhibitions such as Innovation Lab: Design Inspired by Nature (traveling as Nature's Blueprint via Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance) and Painting Oregon's Harvest: The Art of Kathy Deggendorfer to peer museums, with participation fees scaled to host operating budget.

19Museum Collections and Object Donations
CategoryCollections
Description

Museum collection of more than 30,000 objects focused on art, history, and natural history related to the High Desert and the American West, including more than 1,000 art items and an original Smokey Bear costume. Accepts object donations on a limited basis and runs a Collecting the Now initiative documenting COVID-19 and social justice history.

20Silver Sage Trading and Rimrock Café On-site Retail and Dining
CategoryOn-site Retail and Dining
Description

On-site gift shop (Silver Sage Trading Post) and Rimrock Café providing food, beverage, and retail merchandise to Museum visitors, with staff discounts and event concessions.

Scale indicator13 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Partnership39 partners
Strategic tierFlagshipTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Co-development partner in the Mazama newt conservation program. In August 2024, Park biologists snorkeled Crater Lake's shoreline with Museum and Oregon Zoo staff to collect 19 Mazama newts for a safeguard population at the Museum. Crater Lake aquatic ecologist Dave Hering is quoted on the crayfish predation threat and the imperative of establishing an off-site safeguard population.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Coordinates the Mazama newt conservation partnership; transferred newts to the Museum and is co-developing the species' first aquaria care protocols. Photos courtesy of Oregon Zoo used in the Museum's storytelling about the Signal crayfish invasive species threat.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Recognized in the Museum's formal Land Acknowledgement as the Indigenous homeland on which the Museum sits. Co-curated the permanent By Hand Through Memory exhibition (originally co-curated with a member of the Yakama Nation in 1999) and continues as a primary partnership for Indigenous Plateau storytelling, the Indigenous Plateau Art Installation call for artists, and integration of Indigenous ways of knowing across the organization.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

High Desert Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Members can purchase a $30/year Smithsonian Affiliate add-on for reciprocal free admission and discounts at participating Affiliate museums and a one-year Smithsonian Magazine subscription.

Strategic tierCoreTypeOthers
Description

Listed in the Museum's footer with AZA institutional status; supports standards-based wildlife care and conservation practice for the 100+ animals under Museum care.

Strategic tierCoreTypeChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
Description

Traveling exhibition partner: the Museum's Innovation Lab exhibition was picked up by Exhibits USA and the Mid-America Arts Alliance, traveling under the new title Nature's Blueprint: Biomimicry in Art and Design, making the exhibit available to peer institutions.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

16G.R. Johnson Law
Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

highdesertmuseum.org
Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

201859 Magazine (Statehood Media)
Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program; also a Desert Sage Society Closing Party sponsor.

highdesertmuseum.org
Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Presenting Sponsor of the corporate program.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Sponsor of Free Family Saturdays.

Strategic tierFlagshipTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Made the 2023 High Desert Rendezvous possible as a presenting sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Listed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Listed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Listed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor and as a "with thanks to" partner.

27Donner Flower Shop
Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Listed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.

highdesertmuseum.org
Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Art in the West Closing Party sponsor and Supporting Sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Art in the West Closing Party sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Art in the West Closing Party sponsor.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Art in the West Closing Party sponsor.

32High Desert Frameworks
Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Art in the West Closing Party sponsor.

highdesertmuseum.org
Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Community Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.

Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Community Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event focused on dark sky conservation.

Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Community Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.

36Bend Pollinator Pathway
Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Community Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.

highdesertmuseum.org
37Bend Astronomy Club
Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Community Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.

highdesertmuseum.org
Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development Partner
Description

Co-host of the annual Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive with Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston at the Lodge at Summer Lake.

Strategic tierCoreTypeGTM or Marketing Partner
Description

Listed as a "with thanks to" partner of the 2026 High Desert Rendezvous.

Recent move6 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight7 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
TypeDirect peer
Description

The closest conceptual peer: a regional museum interpreting a specific desert ecosystem (Sonoran) that combines indoor galleries, outdoor animal exhibits, botanical gardens, and natural history programming on a single large campus. Operates on a similar zoo-museum hybrid model with comparable conservation, education, and visitor revenue mix.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Direct conservation and wildlife-care partner (jointly runs the Mazama newt program with High Desert Museum). Operates AZA-accredited wildlife care, conservation programming, and education in Oregon, sharing the same regional audience and overlapping donor pool.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Oregon's flagship science and education museum with substantially larger scale. Comparable NGSS-aligned K-8 programming, traveling exhibitions, and donor/corporate sponsorship models, though focused on physical sciences rather than regional natural and cultural history.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Regional natural history and cultural museum with paleontology, Native American collections, and changing exhibitions — a strong functional analog for the High Desert Museum's blend of natural history, Western art, and Indigenous programming in a similarly sized market.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Larger-scale natural history and science museum with IMLS-aligned programming, traveling exhibitions, and large-scale donor/patron programs. Comparable in mission and revenue diversification but materially larger in scope and geographic reach.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Museum dedicated to Western American art, history, and culture with a significant permanent collection, traveling exhibitions, and signature fundraising events — a comparable model for the High Desert Museum's 'Art in the West' juried exhibition and silent auction.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Museum focused on Native American art and culture, particularly Southwestern Indigenous communities, with deep tribal partnerships. Analogous to the High Desert Museum's Indigenous Plateau co-curation model and Western art programming, though at a larger scale.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Larger institution dedicated to Western heritage with a substantial collection, traveling exhibitions, and signature fundraising events — comparable in scope and audience to a regional Western history/culture museum.

TypeRegional player
Description

Central Oregon nature institution that co-hosts Welcome the Night with the High Desert Museum. Comparable in regional conservation and education mission but smaller in scale and without equivalent Smithsonian affiliation or accreditation.

TypeRegional player
Description

Oregon-based wildlife park with drive-through safari and conservation programming. Comparable in wildlife care mission and AZA involvement, but different delivery model (drive-through vs. walk-through museum) and no curatorial or cultural-history component.

Market position
Strengths5 records

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Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

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Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat6 records

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Type, Details

Key risks5 records

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Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

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Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment11 records

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Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile5 records

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Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

Integration4 records

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Title, Type, Description, Source

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature3 records

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Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles8 records

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Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
Compliance4 records

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Name, Class, Description

Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds1 record

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors1 record

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

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High Desert Museum

Natural History and Cultural Museumhighdesertmuseum.org

The High Desert Museum is a Bend, Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982, operating a 135-acre campus with 100,000+ sq ft of exhibits and 12 annual exhibitions serving families, schools, donors, and tourists across the 11-state High Desert region.

What High Desert Museum does

The High Desert Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded by Donald M. Kerr in 1982 in Bend, Oregon. It operates a 135-acre campus with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space, interpreting the 11-state High Desert region (from the eastern slope of the Cascades and Sierra to the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau). The product surface combines two permanent indoor galleries (Spirit of the West and By Hand Through Memory), the Desertarium, three changing galleries hosting up to 12 new exhibitions per year, and outdoor interpretive exhibits including the Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, a 1904 living-history High Desert Ranch, a 1933 U.S. Forest Service ranger station relocated from Nevada, the 2025 E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape, and care facilities for more than 100 non-releasable wildlife ambassadors. The Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, an American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution, an AZA institutional member, and a 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service recipient, recognized as the largest cultural institution in Oregon east of the Cascades. Underlying technology is operational and educational rather than proprietary: live animal-care facilities, a 1904 Lazinka steam-driven sawmill retrofitted to run on electricity, the Veevart online ticketing/donation/membership platform, Jotform registration forms, Blackbaud adoption portal, and ArcGIS StoryMaps for the virtual "Stories from the High Desert" tour.

The Museum serves a diversified audience spanning families with children (Backpack Explorers, Kids Camps, Ponderosa Playscape), K-8 schools and educators (NGSS-aligned Discovery Classes at $175 on-site / $150 off-site per class, the Free Field Trip Program, the Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop), individual donors and patrons (Desert Sage Society giving circles from $1,000 to $25,000, Adopt an Animal tiers, Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society), corporate sponsors (15+ Presenting Sponsors including Avion Water, BASX Solutions, Deschutes Brewery, Brooks Resources, D.A. Davidson, Old Mill District, and ~10 Supporting Sponsors), wildlife and nature enthusiasts, art and culture audiences, Indigenous Plateau communities (notably co-curation with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and other Plateau nations), visitors with disabilities (Museum & Me after-hours program, sensory packs), homeschool groups, and the literary community (Waterston Desert Writing Prize, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model spanning general admission and special-program ticketing (e.g., Raptors of the Desert Sky $8, Bat Walk $10, Welcome the Night $10), annual memberships with a $30 Smithsonian Affiliate reciprocal add-on, the five-tier Desert Sage Society patron circles, corporate memberships ($1,000/yr) and sponsorships ($2,500+), grants from over a dozen foundations (Ford Family Foundation, MillsDavis, Schwemm, Reser, Bloomfield, Robert Lehman, Storms, Gray, Pacific Power, Chambers, James and Shirley Rippey, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon DEQ, St. Charles), direct donations, the three-tier Adopt an Animal program ($30-$175), on-site retail at Silver Sage Trading and Rimrock Café, traveling-exhibition licensing via Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance, school and group program fees, and ticketed signature events (37th annual High Desert Rendezvous, Waterston Ceremony, Art in the West silent auction, Lost in Place Intensive at $1,200/person). Distribution is anchored on the year-round Bend campus with Veevart-powered self-serve online channels, Jotform registration, Smithsonian Affiliate reciprocal reach, and school outreach extending beyond the campus. The Museum does not disclose revenue figures and has no public developer API or disclosed AI/ML capability.

High Desert Museum firmographics

Firmographics
Name
High Desert Museum
Legal name
The High Desert Museum
Website
https://highdesertmuseum.org
Company type
Private
Founded year
1982
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
11–50 employees
Short description
The High Desert Museum is a Bend, Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982, operating a 135-acre campus with 100,000+ sq ft of exhibits and 12 annual exhibitions serving families, schools, donors, and tourists across the 11-state High Desert region.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

High Desert Museum industry classification

Industry
Product category
Natural History and Cultural Museum
NAICS
Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
SIC
Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
akta.pro primary industry
Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)
akta.pro secondary industries
Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

  • Natural history museum
  • Wildlife conservation
  • Cultural education programs
  • Museum memberships
  • Exhibition programming

Where High Desert Museum is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Bend
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

High Desert Museum business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

  1. General Admission and Special Program Tickets: Daily admission at the gate and special ticketed programs (Raptors of the Desert Sky $8, Bat Walk Wednesday $10, Welcome the Night $10, Waterston Ceremony $10) sold through Museum box office and Veevart online ticketing; members receive 20% discounts on paid special programs.
  2. Membership and Donor Programs: Annual Museum memberships providing year-round free admission and discounts; Desert Sage Society patron circles ($1,000 Fellow's / $2,500 Curator's / $5,000 Steward's / $10,000 Director's Council / $25,000 Founder's Circle); Legacy Giving and Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society planned gifts.
  3. Corporate Sponsorship and Corporate Membership: Corporate Membership ($1,000/yr) and Sponsorship packages ($2,500+) including High Desert Rendezvous sponsorships, Presenting Sponsors, Supporting Sponsors, and Free Family Saturdays sponsor; transferable corporate passes issued.
  4. Grants and Foundation Funding: Grants from foundations including Ford Family Foundation, MillsDavis Foundation, Bloomfield Family Foundation, Reser Family Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, Storms Family Foundation, Schwemm Family Foundation, James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation, Gray Family Foundation, Pacific Power Foundation, Chambers Family Foundation, St. Charles Health System, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon DEQ, and others supporting Kids Curate, Free Field Trips, Education, and wildlife conservation.
  5. Adopt an Animal Program: Tiered symbolic adoption packages ($30 Keeper / $65 Companion / $175 Guardian) supporting wildlife care; funds defray the $1,700/year cost per eagle and up to $7,500/year cost per otter.
  6. Direct Donations: Online, mail-in, stock, ACH, sustaining monthly/quarterly, and Donor Advised Fund contributions; tax-deductible under 501(c)3 (Tax ID 51-0179336).
  7. Traveling Exhibitions Licensing: Lease of internally-curated exhibitions (e.g., Innovation Lab / Nature's Blueprint: Biomimicry in Art and Design through Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance; Painting Oregon's Harvest by Kathy Deggendorfer) to other Western history museums and organizations with participation fees scaled to host budget.
  8. On-site Retail and Café: Silver Sage Trading Post (gift shop) and Rimrock Café on-site, including staff discounts and event concessions.
  9. Event and Program Revenue: Ticketed special events (High Desert Rendezvous fundraiser, Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, Art in the West silent auction, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive $1,200/person, Sawmill Demonstrations, Bat Walk, Welcome the Night).
  10. School and Group Program Fees: Discovery Class fees ($175 on-site / $150 off-site per class up to 30 students), self-guided field trips, and teacher professional development (Beneath the Surface: A Teacher's Guide to Groundwater).
  11. Smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership Add-on: $30 annual Smithsonian Affiliate add-on to a High Desert Museum membership, enabling reciprocal benefits at participating Smithsonian Affiliate museums.

Pricing tiers

ModelBillingPrice
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goSpecial program tickets (general public)
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goBat Walk Wednesday evening program
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goWelcome the Night 2026 evening event
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goWaterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goLost in Place Nature Writing Intensive
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goSchool Discovery Classes
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goAdopt an Animal symbolic adoption
SubscriptionAnnualCorporate Membership and Sponsorship
SubscriptionAnnualDesert Sage Society patron circles
SubscriptionAnnualSmithsonian Affiliate reciprocal membership add-on
OtherPay-as-you-goDonations and Legacy Giving

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

High Desert Museum product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The High Desert Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum that operates a 135-acre campus in Bend, Oregon delivering indoor gallery exhibitions, outdoor wildlife and living-history exhibits, and daily animal-encounter programming that explores the art, culture, history, and natural world of the High Desert. It sells daily admissions, ticketed special programs (e.g., Raptors of the Desert Sky, Bat Walk, Welcome the Night), memberships and Desert Sage Society giving circles, school Discovery Classes, the Adopt an Animal conservation program, and signature fundraising events such as the High Desert Rendezvous and Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Revenue is supplemented by on-site retail (Silver Sage Trading), café operations (Rimrock Café), corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and traveling-exhibition licensing to peer museums.

Product overview

The High Desert Museum operates a single integrated visitor experience built on a 135-acre campus in Bend, Oregon with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space. Its offering combines two permanent indoor exhibit galleries (Spirit of the West and By Hand Through Memory) plus the Desertarium with a continuously rotating slate of up to 12 changing exhibitions per year (e.g., Under Pressure, Drawn West, Miguel Almeida, Art in the West 2026). This is layered with a daily programs slate (Raptors of the Desert Sky, Otter Encounter, Wolves in the West, Bird of Prey Encounter, Desert Dwellers, living history at the 1904 High Desert Ranch) and outdoor permanent exhibits including the Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, High Desert Ranger Station, Changing Forest, and the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape. Education products (Discovery Classes, Backpack Explorers, Kids Camps, the Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop, and the Free Field Trip Program) and access programs (Museum & Me) extend the reach, while signature events (High Desert Rendezvous, Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive) and the Adopt an Animal / Membership / Desert Sage Society giving programs provide sustainable support. The Museum also runs the Mazama Newt Conservation Program and offers a Traveling Exhibitions lease program to peer institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • Rimrock Café: Museum's on-site café offering food and beverage service to visitors.
  • Silver Sage Trading
  • Desert Sage Society

Products and services

  • Changing Exhibitions Program Rotating slate of up to 12 exhibitions per year across three changing galleries, connecting visitors to the art, history, culture, and natural history of the High Desert region. Includes recent and upcoming exhibitions such as Under Pressure, Miguel Almeida: Las Manos que dan de Comer, Drawn West, Kids Curate 2026, and Art in the West 2026.
  • Permanent Indoor Exhibits Two permanent indoor exhibit galleries (Spirit of the West historical walk-through and By Hand Through Memory Indigenous Plateau exhibit, opened 1999) plus the Desertarium and Marie Watt's Blanket Stories sculpture, spanning the High Desert's natural and cultural history.
  • Permanent Outdoor Exhibits Outdoor interpretive exhibits across the 135-acre campus, including the 1904 High Desert Ranch, Autzen Otter Exhibit, Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center, 1933 High Desert Ranger Station, Changing Forest trail, and the E. L. Wiegand Ponderosa Playscape (opened 2025).
  • Daily Programs and Live Animal Encounters Daily interactive experiences and animal encounters scheduled throughout the day, including Raptors of the Desert Sky, Otter Encounter, Wolves in the West, Horses on the Range, Desert Dwellers, Bird of Prey Encounter, Nature Walk, High Desert Ranger Station interpretation, and Sawmill Demonstrations. Summer programming runs May 23 through September 7.
  • Discovery Class Education Program NGSS-aligned facilitated school programs for Kindergarten through 8th grade, offered on-site at the Museum ($175 per class, up to 30 students) or off-site at schools ($150 per class), covering animal adaptations, fossils, habitats, volcanoes, and groundwater in 30-45 minute sessions.
  • Beneath the Surface Teacher Workshop Two-year STEM professional development program for upper elementary and middle school educators exploring groundwater, hydrology, and ecology. Includes a 3-day intensive workshop, up to $1,000 in stipends, fully funded buses and substitutes, and a $200 supply budget.
  • Backpack Explorers and Kids Camps Pre-school programs for ages 3-5 with adult chaperones (Backpack Explorers) and spring, summer, and no-school day camps for elementary-aged students offering hands-on learning experiences.
  • Free Field Trip Program Free and reduced-cost field trip program covering admission for students, chaperones, and teachers plus transportation costs when possible, for schools meeting Oregon Department of Education Community Eligibility Provision guidelines.
  • Museum & Me Access Program After-hours program offering a quieter time for children and adults with physical, intellectual, or social disabilities to enjoy the Museum. Free for individuals, friends, and family, with sensory packs available.
  • Adopt an Animal Program Symbolic animal adoption program with three tiers (Keeper $30, Companion $65, Guardian $175) supporting care for more than 100 animals including bald eagles, barn owls, bobcats, desert tortoises, falcons, great horned owls, river otters, porcupines, western rattlesnakes, and red-tailed hawks. Funds defray the $1,700/year per-eagle and up to $7,500/year per-otter care costs.
  • Mazama Newt Conservation Program Conservation partnership with the National Park Service and Oregon Zoo to protect the genetically distinct Mazama newt, an apex Crater Lake predator threatened by invasive Signal crayfish. The Museum developed the first-ever aquaria care protocols for the species, with 19 newts under Museum care as of August 2024.
  • Museum Membership and Desert Sage Society Giving Circles Annual memberships plus a leadership giving society with tiers Fellow's Circle ($1,000), Curator's Circle ($2,500), Steward's Circle ($5,000), Director's Council ($10,000), and Founder's Circle ($25,000), offering exhibition previews, curator-led tours, behind-the-scenes experiences, and travel programs.
  • Corporate Membership and Sponsorship Program Corporate membership ($1,000/year, transferable pass plus store/café/event discounts) and sponsorship packages ($2,500+) including High Desert Rendezvous title, presenting, supporting, and Free Family Saturdays sponsorships.
  • Legacy Giving (Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society) Planned giving program accepting bequests, retirement assets, life insurance, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, securities, real estate, and donor advised fund gifts, supporting the Museum's endowment and recognizing legacy donors through the Robert W. Chandler Legacy Society.
  • Smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership Add-on $30 annual add-on to a High Desert Museum membership that provides reciprocal free admission and discounts at participating Smithsonian Affiliate museums nationwide plus a one-year Smithsonian Magazine subscription.
  • High Desert Rendezvous Annual Fundraiser Annual signature fundraising event with dinner, art, wildlife encounters, live auction, and raffle; the 2026 event is the 37th annual and supports the Museum's educational programs and exhibitions.
  • Waterston Desert Writing Prize Annual literary prize established in 2014, providing financial and other support to writers whose work reflects a connection to the desert, with an annual ceremony and the Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive ($1,200 all-inclusive weekend, July 30-August 2, 2026).
  • Traveling Exhibitions Licensing Program License of internally-curated traveling exhibitions such as Innovation Lab: Design Inspired by Nature (traveling as Nature's Blueprint via Exhibits USA and Mid-America Arts Alliance) and Painting Oregon's Harvest: The Art of Kathy Deggendorfer to peer museums, with participation fees scaled to host operating budget.
  • Museum Collections and Object Donations Museum collection of more than 30,000 objects focused on art, history, and natural history related to the High Desert and the American West, including more than 1,000 art items and an original Smokey Bear costume. Accepts object donations on a limited basis and runs a Collecting the Now initiative documenting COVID-19 and social justice history.
  • Silver Sage Trading and Rimrock Café On-site Retail and Dining On-site gift shop (Silver Sage Trading Post) and Rimrock Café providing food, beverage, and retail merchandise to Museum visitors, with staff discounts and event concessions.

Companies that use High Desert Museum

Customer profile

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

High Desert Museum technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

High Desert Museum partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

39 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

  • National Park Service (Crater Lake National Park)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner in the Mazama newt conservation program. In August 2024, Park biologists snorkeled Crater Lake's shoreline with Museum and Oregon Zoo staff to collect 19 Mazama newts for a safeguard population at the Museum. Crater Lake aquatic ecologist Dave Hering is quoted on the crayfish predation threat and the imperative of establishing an off-site safeguard population.
  • Oregon ZooflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates the Mazama newt conservation partnership; transferred newts to the Museum and is co-developing the species' first aquaria care protocols. Photos courtesy of Oregon Zoo used in the Museum's storytelling about the Signal crayfish invasive species threat.
  • Confederated Tribes of Warm SpringsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized in the Museum's formal Land Acknowledgement as the Indigenous homeland on which the Museum sits. Co-curated the permanent By Hand Through Memory exhibition (originally co-curated with a member of the Yakama Nation in 1999) and continues as a primary partnership for Indigenous Plateau storytelling, the Indigenous Plateau Art Installation call for artists, and integration of Indigenous ways of knowing across the organization.
  • Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian Affiliates program)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh Desert Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Members can purchase a $30/year Smithsonian Affiliate add-on for reciprocal free admission and discounts at participating Affiliate museums and a one-year Smithsonian Magazine subscription.
  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreOthersListed in the Museum's footer with AZA institutional status; supports standards-based wildlife care and conservation practice for the 100+ animals under Museum care.
  • Exhibits USA / Mid-America Arts AlliancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraveling exhibition partner: the Museum's Innovation Lab exhibition was picked up by Exhibits USA and the Mid-America Arts Alliance, traveling under the new title Nature's Blueprint: Biomimicry in Art and Design, making the exhibit available to peer institutions.
  • Avion Water CompanyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • BASX SolutionsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Bend MagazineflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Bigfoot BeveragesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Brooks ResourcesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Bend Radio GroupflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • D.A. DavidsonflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Deschutes BreweryflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Redmond (flyrdm.com)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • G.R. Johnson LawflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Greg's GrillflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Old Mill DistrictflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • RexiusflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • 1859 Magazine (Statehood Media)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program; also a Desert Sage Society Closing Party sponsor.
  • SunWest BuildersflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of the corporate program.
  • Mid Oregon Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Free Family Saturdays.
  • First Interstate BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMade the 2023 High Desert Rendezvous possible as a presenting sponsor.
  • BontagelatocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.
  • Ferguson WellmancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.
  • Vista Capital PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor and as a "with thanks to" partner.
  • Donner Flower ShopcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a High Desert Rendezvous sponsor.
  • Campfire HotelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArt in the West Closing Party sponsor and Supporting Sponsor.
  • Western Art CollectorcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArt in the West Closing Party sponsor.
  • American Art CollectorcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArt in the West Closing Party sponsor.
  • Willamette Valley VineyardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArt in the West Closing Party sponsor.
  • High Desert FrameworkscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArt in the West Closing Party sponsor.
  • U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.
  • Dark Sky OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event focused on dark sky conservation.
  • Sunriver Nature Center & ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.
  • Bend Pollinator PathwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.
  • Bend Astronomy ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner for the Welcome the Night 2026 event.
  • The Writing RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the annual Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive with Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston at the Lodge at Summer Lake.
  • Greenberg TraurigcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a "with thanks to" partner of the 2026 High Desert Rendezvous.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

High Desert Museum competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: The closest conceptual peer: a regional museum interpreting a specific desert ecosystem (Sonoran) that combines indoor galleries, outdoor animal exhibits, botanical gardens, and natural history programming on a single large campus. Operates on a similar zoo-museum hybrid model with comparable conservation, education, and visitor revenue mix.
  • Oregon Zoo: Direct conservation and wildlife-care partner (jointly runs the Mazama newt program with High Desert Museum). Operates AZA-accredited wildlife care, conservation programming, and education in Oregon, sharing the same regional audience and overlapping donor pool.
  • Museum of the Rockies: Regional natural history and cultural museum with paleontology, Native American collections, and changing exhibitions — a strong functional analog for the High Desert Museum's blend of natural history, Western art, and Indigenous programming in a similarly sized market.
  • Booth Western Art Museum: Museum dedicated to Western American art, history, and culture with a significant permanent collection, traveling exhibitions, and signature fundraising events — a comparable model for the High Desert Museum's 'Art in the West' juried exhibition and silent auction.

Broad incumbents

  • Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): Oregon's flagship science and education museum with substantially larger scale. Comparable NGSS-aligned K-8 programming, traveling exhibitions, and donor/corporate sponsorship models, though focused on physical sciences rather than regional natural and cultural history.
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Larger-scale natural history and science museum with IMLS-aligned programming, traveling exhibitions, and large-scale donor/patron programs. Comparable in mission and revenue diversification but materially larger in scope and geographic reach.
  • Heard Museum: Museum focused on Native American art and culture, particularly Southwestern Indigenous communities, with deep tribal partnerships. Analogous to the High Desert Museum's Indigenous Plateau co-curation model and Western art programming, though at a larger scale.
  • National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: Larger institution dedicated to Western heritage with a substantial collection, traveling exhibitions, and signature fundraising events — comparable in scope and audience to a regional Western history/culture museum.

Regional players

  • Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory: Central Oregon nature institution that co-hosts Welcome the Night with the High Desert Museum. Comparable in regional conservation and education mission but smaller in scale and without equivalent Smithsonian affiliation or accreditation.
  • Wildlife Safari: Oregon-based wildlife park with drive-through safari and conservation programming. Comparable in wildlife care mission and AZA involvement, but different delivery model (drive-through vs. walk-through museum) and no curatorial or cultural-history component.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

High Desert Museum social profiles

Digital presence

High Desert Museum compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance4 records

High Desert Museum financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

High Desert Museum leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

High Desert Museum funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

High Desert Museum M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about High Desert Museum

What does High Desert Museum do?

The High Desert Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum that operates a 135-acre campus in Bend, Oregon delivering indoor gallery exhibitions, outdoor wildlife and living-history exhibits, and daily animal-encounter programming that explores the art, culture, history, and natural world of the High Desert. It sells daily admissions, ticketed special programs (e.g., Raptors of the Desert Sky, Bat Walk, Welcome the Night), memberships and Desert Sage Society giving circles, school Discovery Classes, the Adopt an Animal conservation program, and signature fundraising events such as the High Desert Rendezvous and Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Revenue is supplemented by on-site retail (Silver Sage Trading), café operations (Rimrock Café), corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and traveling-exhibition licensing to peer museums.

Is High Desert Museum a public or private company?

High Desert Museum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was High Desert Museum founded?

High Desert Museum was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is High Desert Museum based?

High Desert Museum is headquartered in Bend, United States, in the North America region.

How does High Desert Museum make money?

Eleven revenue lines are on record. General Admission and Special Program Tickets are the primary driver. The others are membership and Donor Programs, corporate Sponsorship and Corporate Membership, grants and Foundation Funding, adopt an Animal Program, direct Donations, traveling Exhibitions Licensing, on-site Retail and Café, event and Program Revenue, school and Group Program Fees and smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership Add-on.

Who are High Desert Museum's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Oregon Zoo, Museum of the Rockies and Booth Western Art Museum. Broad incumbents are Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Heard Museum and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Regional players are Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory and Wildlife Safari.

Does High Desert Museum have an API?

No public API is recorded for High Desert Museum.

What industry is High Desert Museum in?

High Desert Museum's product category is Natural History and Cultural Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAC, Natural History Museums, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty). Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 7900.

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