Bend, Ore. – Across America and Central
Oregon, many businesses have been struggling in the past year,
laying off employees and in some cases, shutting down.
This bad news has also reverberated throughout the Museum
world, with institutions scaling back exhibitions and staff.
Yet, here in Bend, the High Desert Museum is not only surviving
– its popularity is expanding.
While tourism revenue, which is vital to this
area, has dropped, attendance at the Museum is up 14 percent
over last year. Tickets sold out quickly for our live wolf and
bat encounters, and record numbers of guests are coming to our
newly expanded schedule of changing exhibitions.
The standout success of the Museum this year, its singular
value to the region’s tourism, and its value to this
community is a result of strategic steps taken by the
Museum.
Our data shows that of our nearly 150,000 annual visitors,
about 25 percent are from Central Oregon; 35 percent come from
around the state; 35 percent are from around the U.S. and 5
percent come from abroad.
“The people who come here, from families to RV-ing
retirees, meet an owl or eagle close up, on the gloved arm of
one of our knowledgeable staff, and leave not simply having
enjoyed themselves. They are enriched with a lifelong learning
experience unique to this Museum,” said Museum President
Janeanne A. Upp
The Museum also:
- reaches almost 10,000 elementary students through its school
programs
- serves 2,500 disadvantaged families, admitting them for free
through its Discovery Pass program
- admits more than 2,000 residents for free in a partner
program with the Deschutes Public Library
- hosted nearly 9,000 visitors during two free days this
year
- cares for 125 rescued animals, from a lynx, bobcat, badgers
and porcupines, to eagles and threatened owls
- offers an early literacy program that is filled every
week
- is the only place offering educational programs about the
High Desert with live, native wildlife and cultural history
reenactors
- attracts more than 300 teen and adult volunteers to its award
winning service program.
This is a testament to this Museum’s enduring, broad
appeal. The demand for this Museum is evidence of its ability
to thoughtfully grow and change during the past 27 years. It is
rare to find an institution of this size and scope that can
thrive more than 150 miles from a metropolitan
area.