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Museums Serving the Public
Museums play a vital role in public education by inspiring curiosity, fostering lifelong learning, and connecting people to the world around them. Alongside schools and libraries, museums provide accessible opportunities for visitors of all ages to explore our shared cultural, historical, and natural heritage.
Through interactive exhibits, authentic objects, and hands-on experiences, museums help people better understand their communities, our nation, and the natural world. Whether visiting an art museum, history museum, science center, botanical garden, or zoo, museums offer welcoming spaces where families, friends, and communities can gather to learn, discover, and create lasting memories together.
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum
Since its founding in 1964, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum has been a family-friendly destination dedicated to educating residents and visitors about the unique desert environment. Built on the generosity of the local community, the museum's original collections were made possible through donations from area residents.
For more than sixty years, the museum has inspired curiosity and appreciation for the rich natural history and cultural heritage of the Morongo Basin and High Desert. Through engaging exhibits, educational programs, and community partnerships, the museum continues to help visitors of all ages discover the stories of this remarkable region. Generations of families, students, and travelers have looked to the museum to learn, explore, and connect with the desert's past, present, and future.
Our History
For more than six decades, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum has celebrated the natural and cultural heritage of the Morongo Basin and High Desert, inspiring generations of visitors to explore the remarkable stories of our region.
1964 – A Community Vision
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum was founded in 1964 through the vision and dedication of Evelyn Conklin, her father Percy Conklin, longtime resident Camilla Hudson, and Jerry Moore, Community Services Director for the Parks and Recreation District. Evelyn Conklin served as the museum's curator for 28 years, helping establish the museum as a valued community resource for education and discovery.
1973 – A Growing Museum
Originally housed in an 800-square-foot building in a local park, the museum relocated in 1973 to its current home within the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex. As the museum's collections and programs continued to grow, a 1989 expansion added dedicated gallery space for wildlife dioramas featuring taxidermy specimens in naturalistic settings.
1991 – Becoming Part of the Town of Yucca Valley
When the Town of Yucca Valley was incorporated in 1991, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum became a division of the Town's Community Services Department. Today, the museum continues its mission of preserving, interpreting, and sharing the unique natural history and cultural heritage of the High Desert while serving as a welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike.
Our Future
Review the Hi-Desert Nature Museum’s Strategic Plan for 2024-2028.
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