Museum of Natural and Cultural History

Geophotography: Fall 2012

The students in this course explored geology by examining rock types, bedding features, cooling fractures, fault zones, features of weathering and coastal erosion, and more. At the same time they learned the mechanics of shooting good photographs, from depth of field and composition to basic tools of post-processing.

Tidewaters by Rich Bergeman

June 25 - November 4, 2012

Explore the light, landscape and way of life that once flourished along the rivers of Oregon's Coast Range.

Jim Thorpe

Come see Olympic History!

Explore Oregon! In the Making

March 9 -December 29, 2012

Be part of the museum’s growth: Help us build our new exhibit hall!

The Art of Nature by Becky Uhler

February 29 - June 24, 2012

Watercolor originals and prints of native plant and animal life by nationally recognized local artist, Becky Uhler.

4 Women 4 Views: From the High Desert

November 2, 2011 - February 26, 2012

Four artists, Pam Jersey Bird, Patricia Clark, Judy Hoiness, and Ingrid Lustig from Central Oregon express the dramatic landscape where they live with four unique voices.

SQ3Tsya'yay: Weaver's Spirit Power

September 7, 2011 - January 29, 2012

SQ3Tsya’yay, pronounced “cut-see-ya-ya,” is the written form of the words that mean “Weaver’s Spirit Power” in the Twana language.

We Are Still Here - Gordon Bettles and the Many Nations Longhouse

July 6, 2011 - June 2012

The Many Nations Longhouse is a place for celebrating important events, teaching cultural history and traditions, discussing community issues, and acts as a place to welcome tribal members and other visitors.

A Canopy of Briars: Visual Considerations on Reclaiming the Land

June 30 - October 30, 2011

Susan Applegate uses a variety of media to depict a personal battle; the reclamation of her family's Oregon ranch from invasive blackberries.

A Tribute: Shall We Dance? Photography by Brian Lanker

June 23 - September 4, 2011

From the controlled beauty of classical ballet to the vivacity of salsa, dance can be found in nearly every culture on Earth.

The Last Polar Bear: Facing the Truth of a Warming World

April 15 - August 28, 2011

I offer these images as witness to an iconic species and an ecosystem that may be lost to future generations if we, as a global community, do not take action now.
– Steven Kazlowski, photographer

Making Faces—Community Masks in Partnership with MECCA

March 3 - June 26, 2011

Animal-themed masks made from recycled materials with the help of MECCA, the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts.

Face to Face with Masks from the Museum Collections

April 29, 2011 - February 19, 2012

Masks have been part of the human experience throughout recorded history.

In almost every culture, age, and inhabited region of the world, masks have been used to mark important changes in our personal status and to protect us from forces larger than ourselves.

Yellowstone to Yukon

Extended! October 1, 2010 - March 27, 2011

This exhibit combines stunning wildlife photography by Florian Schulz with a compelling environmental issue—the need to protect the natural corridors that give wildlife the freedom to move through their traditional ranges and maintain healthy populations.

Celestial Menagerie: Mixed Media Etchings by Tallmadge Doyle

November 4, 2010 - February 27, 2011

Constellations are an invention of the human imagination.

We Are Still Here: Stephanie Wood on Baskets and Biography

June 14, 2010 - July 3, 2011

Baskets are some of the most distinctive products of Oregon American Indian cultures.

How Water Speaks To Us: Photographs by Shirley M Collins

March 4 - June 14, 2010

Water inspires us, revives our energy and renews our spirit with a passion for life.

Solitude & Absolute Form - Photographs by Jon Meyers

August 4 - October 31, 2010

"It is in the solitude of open spaces that I find my essence, my self." Jon Meyers

PaleoLab - Oregon's Past Revealed: Whales of Deep Time

January 29 - June 14, 2010

Fifty-four million years ago, after the extinction of dinosaurs, the earliest known relatives of whales lived on land.

PaleoLab: Horses and Grasslands

August 4, 2010 - April 10, 2011

Have there always been horses in Oregon? Where did modern horses come from? The answers may surprise you.

Down to Earth: A Geologist's Perspective

November 6, 2009 - February 28, 2010

The Earth has many faces. Some are smooth and flowing, others rocky and ravaged; all are shaped by dynamic geologic processes. This exhibit showcases snapshots of our ever-changing planet from a geologist’s perspective.

World Harmony—Musical Instruments From Around the World

June 28 –December 2009

Is music a universal language? What is an instrument? What is considered beautiful music?

Shall We Dance — Photographs by Brian Lanker

June 25 -December 15, 2009

From the controlled beauty of classical ballet to the vivacity of salsa, dance can be found in nearly every culture on Earth.

Coastal Light: Photographs By Bob Sanov

June 25 - November 1, 2009

“I especially love the element of non-reality inherent to the black and white image, along with the poetic and somewhat mystical aura it creates.” — Bob Sanov

Oregon Wildflowers—Photographs by Don Lown

March 6 - June 28, 2009

As part of our continuing Pacific Northwest Artist series, experience the glories of an Oregon spring through the lens of local photographer Don Lown.

We Are Still Here: The Cedar Splitting of Don Day

January 16, 2009- June 11, 2010

Don Day is a Grand Ronde tribal elder who is revitalizing the traditional Native American technology of cedar plank splitting.

Seeing Time - Geologic Clues to the Ancient Earth

January 16 - June 14, 2009

Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Massive floods. Glaciers.

Rock, Water, Fire, Earth, and Sky: Photographs of Oregon and the West by David N Jones

November 7, 2008 - March 1, 2009

David N Jones uses black-and-white photography to convey the mood and soul of the environments he photographs.

Stevens Family Cemetery Exhibit

November 2008 - January 2009

This exhibit was made up of objects excavated in 2008 from the William M. Stevens family cemetery site in Springfield. The Stevens are considered the first pioneering family to have settled in the Springfield area.

If the Shoe Fits - Kids Contemplate Shoes

June 25 - November 2, 2008

Kids get into the act—creating artwork that tells the story of their own shoes.

Walk a Mile in These Shoes—The Stories They Tell

April 9 - December 21, 2008

Over 200 pairs of shoes made up this hands-on, feet-in multimedia experience that explored many aspects of footwear and its history.

Cultural Horizons - Photographs by Dennis Griffin

March 7 - June 22, 2008

“I have attempted through photography to try and document the atmosphere and mood of each locale visited and to capture the human spirit I encounter, from serene moments of daily life to memories of playful joy.” —Dennis Griffin

Rock Art - Ancient Images, New Views: A Twentieth-Anniversary Retrospective of Works on Paper by Allen Cox

November 2, 2007 - March 2, 2008

The Flood Zone--Landscapes Sculpted by the Glacial Lake Missoula Floods Photographs by Bill Woolston

September 7, 2007 - March 23, 2008