(Coyote and Lil Brother, 2025. Mixed media. Credit: RYAN! Feddersen.)
Central Oregon’s cultural gem, the High Desert Museum, features more than 100,000 square feet of exhibition space, offering visitors moments of awe and discovery. Throughout the Fall season, visitors can explore three new exhibitions spanning topics from the history of porcupines through adventure-based storytelling in “Quills Out! A Porcupine Adventure,” to the story of Coyote through Indigenous-artist voices, including Ellen Taylor, Ric Gendron, and Natalie Ball in “Coyote Encounters: Art Inspired by a Storied Earth.”
“These upcoming exhibitions celebrate the rich culture, natural history, and the art of the High Desert, offering visitors new opportunities to explore and connect with the region in meaningful ways,” said Dana Whitelaw. “Together they create a dynamic and engaging museum experience, inviting visitors to discover something new in our galleries this season.”
In “Dime Store Stories: Paintings by Fort Guerin,” opening November 21, Guerin draws on the iconic Western pulp magazine art of the early 20th century to create more than 100 unique pieces of art. Explore the vibrant color, cinematic drama, and familiar faces paint the picture in this ambitious installation that investigates the enduring, fictionalized iconography of the American West.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Coyote Encounters: Art Inspired by a Storied Earth
October 31, 2026-March 7, 2027
From the wise to the foolish, “Coyote Encounters” explores Coyote’s multiple dimensions through the lens of Indigenous artists. Through a partnership with Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts—a premier print studio that advances Native voices in contemporary fine art printmaking based in Pendleton, Oregon—the exhibition features prints by Indigenous artists, including Ellen Taylor, Ric Gendron, and Natalie Ball. Included in Museum admission.
Quills Out! A Porcupine Adventure
November 14, 2026-June 20, 2027
In this playful, family-friendly gallery experience, visitors are immersed in a storybook world where porcupine adventures abound—crossing oceans and continents, scaling canyons and boulder fields, sailing the sagebrush sea, and more. Included in Museum admission.
Dime Store Stories: Paintings by Fort Guerin
November 21, 2026-February 7, 2027
Drawing inspiration from the Western pulp magazines of the 1920s-1950s, New Mexico-based artist Fort Guerin investigates the enduring, fictionalized iconography of the American West. Vibrant color, cinematic drama, and familiar faces fill this ambitious installation. Included in Museum admission.