Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

How many museums house bald eagles and owls? A recreated ranch with live actors? Exhibits on local Native American culture down the hall from astronauts learning to walk on the moon?

The High Desert Museum in Bend offers all that and more, with an expansive experience that brings the history and culture of central Oregon to life.

With more than 100,000 square feet of museum space and 135 acres of land, the museum has more than enough space to host a wide range of indoor and outdoor exhibits, designed to educate and entertain visitors of all ages.

READ MORE: 3 days of fall around Bend, exploring Oregon's shoulder season

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Two turtles climb onto and fall off a log in an enclosure at the High Desert Museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A replica barn greets visitors outside the museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An exhibit explores traditional and modern Native American culture.

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Inside the front door of the museum, turn left to find the exhibits on Plateau Indians, where pathways follow the journey of the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs, Yakama, Spokane and Colville people from the time before white settlers arrived through the 21st century.

Turn right and you'll find exhibits on settlement and exploration, which show the history of white settlement over that same period of time, with exhibits that show the lives of fur trappers, traders and gold miners.

Both sections of the museum utilize large-scale replicas of shelters, houses and store fronts to put visitors into the lives of people who have called this region home. One particularly effective exhibit includes a detailed look inside a Native American home in the mid-20th century, with a tipi out front and a TV inside.

Head toward the back of the main museum building to find all the animals. In the Desertarium you can find local critters like snakes, tortoises and burrowing owls going about their business inside enclosures. The famous greater sage grouse is there, too – stuffed and displayed inside a glass case.

Outside, paved walking trails follow a trickling stream, winding through a pine forest. Follow any fork and you’re bound to find something interesting: an otter exhibit, bird of prey center and a replica of a 1904 ranch and sawmill, complete with live actors.

The outdoor exhibits work to expand the museum’s footprint, and also strengthen its connection between humans and nature.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A stuffed sage grouse is on display at the High Desert Museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A replica of an ancient high desert dwelling is on display in an exhibit hall.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Trails lead museum visitors to outdoor exhibits.

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You can find similar exhibits at other museums and historical sites around Oregon, but what sets the High Desert Museum apart is that it collects all those experiences in one place. History can be found alongside wildlife and art. Older cultural artifacts are displayed beside modern ones. Animals are highlighted as much as humans.

The whole museum is well designed and maintained, surely thanks to the names of donors attached to each exhibit hall and practically every space inside: Schnitzer, Collins, Autzen, Casey, Cheney, Brooks, Chiles, Kerr, Wiegand.

The community certainly benefits. In a state already replete with museums, the High Desert Museum still manages to stand out from the crowd.

SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The High Desert Museum is an expansive museum that showcases local history, culture and wildlife near Bend.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An owl perches on a tree in an enclosure at the Birds of Prey Center.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A replica storefront shows goods that were sold by Chinese immigrants in Oregon.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An exhibit discusses white settlers and the gold rush in Oregon.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A snake slithers behind glass in the Desertarium.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Chickens strut around a pen outside a replica barn.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Trails lead museum visitors to outdoor exhibits.