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The Moon

The moon is a place where mountains form in moments and astronaut bootprints might last for millennia. Take a lunar expedition through striking NASA photographs and explore the fascinating landscape of our closest celestial neighbor. 

DIGNITY: Tribes in Transition

Through 60 stunning and intimate portraits, photographer Dana Gluckstein pays homage to Indigenous Peoples around the world.

Many Nations—Oregon Tribal Flags

Oregon is home to nine independent tribal nations. Journey into the history and meanings of each nation’s flag. 

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

An exhibit based on the James Beard Award-winning book by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. Explore farms, markets, and family meals from Mexico to India to Mali—and discover foodways both unique and shared. You'll never look at your dinner plate the same way again.  

Open Friday, February 24 through Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Owl and the Woodpecker

Join conservation photographer Paul Bannick for a remarkable birding adventure! Through vivid images and sound recordings, you’ll journey deep into the natural histories of two of North America’s most iconic bird families. On view through September 18, 2016.

Strung Together - Beads, People, and History

Strung Together celebrates beads and beadwork from around the world, spanning thousands of years and six continents. Blending items from our anthropological collections with works by contemporary artists, Strung Together invites you to discover a world of stories behind the beauty of beads.

Geophotography

Students in UO's Structural Geology course investigate geological processes through the intimate practice of photography. The course, taught by Roadside Geology of Oregon author Marli Miller, combines science and art to illuminate Earth's dynamic landscapes and our place within them.

Restore Oregon

Photographs by students in the UO Environmental Studies program focus on restoration projects around the state – exploring beauty, harm, and healing in nature. Learn more about the exhibition on Around the O.

RARELY SEEN: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY

The new National Geographic photography exhibition at the MNCH reveals some of the world's most astounding phenomena—from rare supercell storm clouds to an underwater sculpture garden in Mexico.

Wolves and Wild Lands in the 21st Century

How can wolves and people coexist in our modern world? From Alaska to Oregon to North Carolina, explore the epic story of North America’s wolves—and the vital role humans play in shaping their future. On exhibit August 11, 2017 through February 11, 2018

Geophotography

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.

Tradition Keepers - Shayleen Macy

Artist Shayleen Macy is a Wasco/Yakima/Warm Springs member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and a graduate of the University of Oregon's BFA program. Her prints, beadwork and mixed media pieces are inspired by the powwow culture in which she has grown up, often blending contemporary identity issues with traditional Wasco stories.

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.

Site Seeing: Snapshots of Historical Archaeology in Oregon

From a nineteenth-century working-class family in Portland to a Chinese mining community in Jacksonville, this exhibit tells the stories of five historical sites recently excavated by museum archaeologists. On view through January 10, 2016.

Geophotography Fall 2014

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.

Highlights of the Jensen Arctic Collection

Journey into the unique cultures and ecosystems of the Arctic. Recently adopted from Western Oregon University, the Jensen Collection represents one of the largest assemblages of Arctic material in the lower forty-eight states, and a valuable record of life in a rapidly changing region. On view through January 10, 2016.

The Buzz Saw Sharks of Long Ago

Featuring the Art of Ray Troll and Friends
Dive into the deep past and unravel the mystery of the buzz saw shark! Fun for the whole family, the exhibit combines original art, spectacular fossils, and a good dose of scientific humor to shed light on this freaky and fascinating fish. On view through April 24, 2016.

Road Trip! The Roadside Geology of Oregon

Hit the road and experience Oregon’s dynamic geology. Tour colorful landscapes through photographs, maps, and striking displays – and pick up a new edition of The Roadside Geology of Oregon, written by University of Oregon geologist Marli Miller. See the videos from the exhibit.

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

Scientific at the Core

Think like a scientist! Explore an interactive laboratory that offers hands-on science-based activities for visitors of all ages. On view through January 10, 2016.