Hi-Desert Nature Museum

In observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday the Hi-Desert Nature Museum will be closed November 23rd and 24th.
The nature museum will reopen November 25th with our usual hours.

Happy Thanksgiving from the nature museum.

"Great American Hen & Young" plate, from "Birds of America" by John J. Audubon

The staff at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum would like to thank our visitors for voting us into 2nd Place for Best Family Activity in the entire Morongo Basin. In addition to our family fun day events like the recent Halloween Spooktacular, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum hosts family friendly lectures, workshops, and exhibits for all ages to enjoy. We hope to see you soon at the museum!

The Yucca Valley Town Council recently recognized the contributions of Ms. Evelyn Conklin by presenting her with the Spirit of Yucca Valley Award for her efforts in establishing the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. The Spirit of Yucca Valley program, established in 2019, allows the Town Council the ability to recognize an individual or individuals who provide significant accomplishments and/or contributions to the Town of Yucca Valley. Areas for consideration can include education and exposure to the Arts, improving public safety within the community, encouraging community involvement, and developing the youth within the Town. As a recipient of the award, Ms. Conklin received a formal letter of recognition signed by the Mayor, was recognized at the meeting by nominating Councilmember Jim Schooler, and received a recognition plaque.

Evelyn served as Curator of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum for 28 years. Many of her contributions to the Hi-Desert Nature Museum are still evident today. From its inception, education was a priority at the museum. Visitors would come to the museum to identify and research local flora and fauna, including wildflowers, insects, and reptiles. Evelyn established the mini-zoo which includes several different species including snakes and lizards. One particular snake, Greenella the Green Mojave Rattlesnake, was featured in a film on a state aqueduct project.

Evelyn’s collection was so extensive, she employed a rotating exhibit system which rotated displays including gem and mineral specimens, shells, insects, and birds’ eggs/nests. Her displays also included mounted specimens, including local mammals and birds. Many long-time residents have fond memories of the “Glow Room”, which is still in use today. Inside, visitors can see the fluorescent properties of rocks and minerals which “glow” under the black light.
Evelyn also proudly displayed rotating exhibits featuring local artists, which is still being done today. Artists with works currently on display include Mark Junge, Karen Morton, Howard Pierce, Kirk Martin, and Henry Mockel. Evelyn began the display of Henry Mockel’s wildflower serigraphs with twelve prints. This collection has grown significantly over the years, and many of the serigraphs are currently on display in the Natural History Room.

Ms. Celeste Hilderbrand, Supervisor of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum, accepted the award on behalf of Ms. Conklin, and the award was delivered to Ms. Conklin at her home by the museum's staff. Ms. Conklin expressed her gratitude for the recognition and confidence that the museum is in good hands and will be enjoyed for years to come.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

Funny, Spooky, Most Original, or Best in Show. Are you ready for the 2023 Halloween Costume Contest?

For additional Halloween Spooktacular information follow: https://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/event/halloween-spooktacular-2/

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

How is the pumpkin decorating going? We can't wait to see all the entries at this year's Spooktacular.

For additional Halloween Spooktacular 2023, please follow: https://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/event/halloween-spooktacular-2/

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

Attention Boos and Ghouls of all ages. The Halloween Spooktacular 2023 is just 3 days away. Join us if you dare.

The Hi-Desert Nature Museum and Town of Yucca Valley Recreation Department would like to invite community members to a family friendly Halloween-themed fair on Saturday, October 28, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum and the Yucca Valley Community Center.

There will be plenty of activities to do! Come in costume or as you are. You’re bound to find something that interests you and your little ones.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

Now on display until December 9, 2023. Explore how disasters and epidemics have impacted Californians over time.

Living in California means living with natural disasters. With the acceleration of climate change, we are experiencing disasters with increased frequency and intensity. These major events, including epidemics, affect Californians differently depending on location, socioeconomic status and race, among other factors. Although these events can often be devastating, they can also be portals for societal reform.

From Earthquakes to Epidemics explores the impact of natural and manmade disasters and pandemics in California, using the humanities as a lens to give context to the impacts of recent and historic disasters in the Golden State.

For additional information follow: https://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/from-earthquakes-to-epidemics-how-disasters-transform-californias-people-and-places/?back=ago

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

This week is your last chance to see Her Side of the Story at the Hi Desert Nature Museum.

The traveling exhibit features 30 first-person accounts collected from women who traveled by land or sea to settle throughout California prior to January 1, 1854.

As preparations were being made for the commemoration of California’s Golden Jubilee in 1900, a letter printed in a San Francisco newspaper asked why “no provisions had been made for the pioneer mothers.” In turn, The Association of Pioneer Women of California was formed. The group collected and preserved the reminiscences of women who arrived in California before 1854 in a single ledger. This incredible document, filled with over 800 handwritten stories of California pioneer women, is the basis for the exhibition. The ledger and exhibition create a more complete and balanced understanding of our shared history by highlighting women’s voices and experiences as they traveled to California.
The ledger, however, does not represent all voices. As such, an important section of the exhibition is comprised of forty diverse portraits of unidentified women. These women represent the thousands of pioneers whose stories were never recorded; each one had a story to tell which is lost to time.

For additional information: https://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/her-side-of-the-story-tales-of-california-pioneer-women

Keep those votes coming! The Hi-Desert Nature Museum has been nominated for the Hi-Desert Star's Best of the Best in the category of Best Family Activity. Remember, you can vote once per day until October 11th!

Bestof2023 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:

The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is proud to be nominated for Best Family Activity under the category Fun/Entertainment. We would be honored if you could support us by voting for the museum once per day until October 11th. See you at the museum!

Voting Starts Today! Click the link to get started https://www.hidesertstar.com/bestof2023/ #//

Good morning, everyone! Just a reminder, the Pioneer Celebration Day scheduled for today has been rescheduled until Spring. Please be on the look out for a future date and time! In the meantime, be sure to check out the current exhibit, Her Side of the Story: Tales of California Pioneer Women, which is on display until Saturday, October 7, 2023.

Previous press release:
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum’s Pioneer Celebration which was scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2023, at the Yucca Valley Community Center is being postponed to next spring. A future announcement will be released with the updated date and time. Any community members with pioneer/homesteading skills that they would like to demonstrate at the future event are encouraged to contact Museum Supervisor Celeste Hilderbrand at 760-369-7212.

About the Hi-Desert Nature Museum
For nearly 59 years, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum has been dedicated to the process of education by exploring the natural, artistic and cultural heritage of the Morongo Basin and High Desert. The Museum seeks to inspire wonder, discovery, understanding and responsibility in its community and visitors through exhibits, programs, and collections in the arts, history, and natural sciences. The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is operated by the Town of Yucca Valley and is located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex at 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway. The Museum is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission is free; donations support the educational mission of the museum. For more information, contact the Hi-Desert Nature Museum at (760) 369-7212 or visit the museum’s website at www.hidesertnaturemuseum.org.

The California Patch, is a butterfly found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. It lives in desert washes and canyons in regions between southern Nevada south to southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, Baja California and Sonora. Most often seen in the spring in the Mojave Desert, but with big summer rains it can become common later in the year.

The wingspan is 1 ½ – 2 inches. The upper side of the wings are brownish-black at the base with a wide yellow-orange median band and large orange spots.

These California Patch Butterflies are on a milkweed plant in Joshua Tree.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions or book scorpions, are small, scorpion-like arachnids.

Pseudoscorpions are most often found under bark of trees, in caves, in bird nests and bee nests, or riding on bats and flies. They also occur in human structures such as houses, stables, barns, chicken coops and beehives.

Pseudoscorpions are generally beneficial to humans since they prey on clothes moth larvae, carpet beetle larvae, booklice, ants, mites, and small flies. They are tiny, and are rarely noticed due to their small size, despite being common in many environments.

This house pseudoscorpion was found on a dirt road in Joshua Tree near a Black Oil sunflower seed. It measured about 3 mm long.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California

New exhibit on display at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

Illuminating the hardships, joys, and lives of female pioneers in California, "Her Side of the Story: Tales of California Pioneer Women". The traveling exhibit features 30 first-person accounts collected from women who traveled by land or sea to settle throughout California prior to January 1, 1854.

For additional information follow: http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/her-side-of-the-story-tales-of-california-pioneer-women/?back=ago

"Her Side of the Story: Tales of California Pioneer Women" was developed by the Society of California Pioneers and travels through Exhibit Envoy.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

This is your last week to see "Abracadabra! Everyday Magic", before it disappears on Saturday, August 12 to make room for "Her Side of the Story - Tales of California Pioneer Women" that opens August 18.

As families experience this interactive exhibit together, both children and adults will come to understand how what may appear to be magic can be explained through principles of math or science.

Grab a cape and wand and perform magic on a stage where you become the center of attention. Amaze your friends with card tricks. Create a chemical reaction using your own body heat. Build and create with magnets. Create a miniature keystone arch by yourself using blocks or grab some friends and cooperate to build a gigantic 5-foot arch together. Use your analytical skills to decode the secret message or utilize rubbings to find the hidden objects.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

It's almost here! Please join us at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum this Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. for a presentation on Henry Mockel by author Tania Marien.

We hope to see you at the museum!

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Borax in powder or granular form has many industrial and household uses, including as a pesticide, as a metal soldering flux, as a component of glass, enamel, and pottery glazes, for tanning of skins and hides, for artificial aging of wood, as a preservative against wood fungus.

Borax first came into common use in the late 19th century when Francis Marion Smith's Pacific Coast Borax Company began to market and popularize a large variety of applications under the 20 Mule Team Borax trademark, named for the method by which borax was originally hauled out of the California and Nevada deserts.

This one-inch sample of cotton ball borax and many other rock specimens can be found in the gem and mineral cases of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

Borax should never be consumed.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum is proud to host author Tania Marien on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 2:00p.m. Ms. Marien will lead a one hour presentation on artist Henry Mockel's life and passion for desert wildflowers.

The presentation will be held at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum free of charge. We hope to see you there!

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Only 2 Discovery Kit 1 Botany-Wildflowers remain! Kits are $5 each and contain 10+ activities for kids 5-12 years old.

All kits must be purchased through CivicRec at https://secure.rec1.com/CA/yucca-valley-ca/catalog. Go to Museum > Summer Camps > Discovery Kit 1 - Botany-Wildflowers.

Prepurchased kits can be picked up on Saturday, June 8, 2023 at 10:00am. Can’t make it on Saturday? You can purchase your prepaid kit any day the museum is open after 6/8/2023.

We hope to see you at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum!

Mineral elements provide the color in fireworks. Barium produces bright greens; strontium yields deep reds; copper produces blues; and sodium yields yellow. Other colors can be made by mixing elements: strontium and sodium produce brilliant orange; titanium, zirconium, and magnesium alloys make silvery white; copper and strontium make lavender. Gold sparks are produced by iron filings and small pieces of charcoal. Bright flashes and loud bangs come from aluminum powder.

These minerals, and many other rock specimens can be found in the gem and mineral cases of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

Have a safe and sane 4th of July.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Solifugae is an order of animals in the class Arachnida known variously as camel spiders, wind scorpions, sun spiders, or solifuges.
Despite the common names, they are neither true scorpions, nor true spiders.

Most species of Solifugae live in dry climates and feed opportunistically on ground-dwelling arthropods and other small animals. The largest species grow to a length of 5–6 inches, including legs. A number of urban legends exaggerate the size and speed of the Solifugae, and their potential danger to humans, which is negligible.

The spider pictured below was about 1.5 inches and was found in the cactus garden in front of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Participants at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum's Metamorphosis: Children's Recycled Art Workshop display their final projects. These children, ages 5-12 spent two hours creating their masterpieces!

In honor of Earth Day, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum hosted children ages 5-12 from throughout the Morongo Basin at our Metamorphosis: Children's Recycled Art Workshop. After a tour of the Metamorphosis exhibit inside the museum, the children headed outside and created a variety of projects with recycled or repurposed materials including 3-D structures, assemblage and collage.

Do you have an interest in botany? Enjoy collecting and preserving flower and plant specimens? If so, Hi-Desert Nature Museum has a new workshop for you!

On Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., museum staff will present an introductory workshop on herbarium preservation techniques.

The class is $20 per participant, and each attendee will leave the workshop with an archival quality collection kit. To register, please click the link below or register in person at Community Services or the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

https://secure.rec1.com/CA/yucca-valley-ca/catalog

Now on display.

In conjunction with the Museum Spotlight on Wildflowers, the museum is proudly displaying 25 serigraphs from local artist Henry Mockel. The serigraphs are signed, limited edition works of art that depict local Mojave Desert wildflowers.

For additional information: http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/wildflowers/?back=ago

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum would love to hear from you! We are currently conducting an adult programming survey to hear what kind of programs, workshops, and lectures you would like to see offered at the museum.

The survey takes less than two minutes, and the results will be used to guide our programming development in the upcoming year. Please scan the QR code or click the link below to provide your input. We also have paper versions available at the museum. Thank you for your input!

https://forms.gle/CBw6goQcdvFzGuVv8

Limited edition Earth Day 2023 shirts are available at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. We have youth sizes S-L and adult sizes M-XL (adult small and XXL are already sold out!). Suggested donation is only $12 per shirt, so be sure to stop in Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. to grab yours!

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is pleased to announce dates for our two upcoming summer camps!

Children ages 6-8 years old will have a three day camp Wednesday, June 21st to Friday, June 23rd from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Children ages 9-12 will have a three day camp from Wednesday, June 28th to Friday, June 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Each camp costs $20 per child, and space is extremely limited. Early registration is highly recommended! To register, please visit our website or go to the Town of Yucca Valley's recreation catalog at https://secure.rec1.com/CA/yucca-valley-ca/catalog.

Good morning! Just a reminder, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum will not open until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 due to town-wide staff training. We will be open normal operating hours beginning on Thursday, March 30, 2023. Thank you!

As a reminder. The museum will host an opening reception March 25, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., where an adult and youth piece will each receive a “Best in Show” award. Attendees will enjoy refreshments and live music. The opening reception is free and open to the public.

For additionalinformation:
http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/metamorphosis-a-recycled-art-exhibition/?back=ago

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Metamorphosis: A Recycled Art Exhibition is now on display March through May 27, 2023. The Museum will host an opening reception for participating artists, their friends and family on March 25, 2023, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., where “Best In Show” awards for an adult and youth piece will be given.

Individuals visiting the exhibition, in person, between March 17 and March 24 will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece. Voting will close at 5:00 p.m. on March 24th. Each individual (5+ years) is allowed two votes- one for ‘Best in Show’ adult and one for ‘Best in Show’ youth. The pieces receiving the most votes will be awarded.

For additional information: http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/exhibition/metamorphosis-a-recycled-art-exhibition/?back=ago

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

"Gadgets Galore!" is on display. To celebrate, we will be posting a "What Is It?" photo every Wednesday and Friday. The first person to post and correctly identify the item will receive their choice of Hi-Desert Nature Museum swag, either a tote bag or water bottle.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

Gadget's Galore! closes on Saturday, March 11.

Gadgets are an integral part of our everyday lives, and, often, objects that we take for granted. Gadgets Galore! encourages visitors to take a closer look at the historic gadgets in your house, and to consider how the gadgets of yesteryear informed our modern technology. From light bulbs to coffee makers, and from Velcro to mp3s, visitors will connect the past with the present and engage with history through the scavenger hunt-style Gadgets Galore!

Gadgets Galore! is a traveling exhibition from Exhibit Envoy and Heather Farquhar. This exhibition is based on the initial iterations at the Hayward Area Historical Society and Los Altos History Museum.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.

"Gadgets Galore!" is on display. To celebrate, we will be posting a "What Is It?" photo every Wednesday and Friday. The first person to post and correctly identify the item will receive their choice of Hi-Desert Nature Museum swag, either a tote bag or water bottle.

Good afternoon! Due to extreme weather and to ensure the safety of our employees, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum will be closed for the remainder of today, Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

We will reopen at 10am on Thursday, March 2nd, 2023.

Thank you for your understanding. Everyone be safe out there!

It's National Toast Day, which is celebrated on the last Thursday in February. This day pays homage to a food that is oft-ignored but has an oh-so-important role to play when it comes to breakfast, brunch, or even snacking purposes. The art of making toast is brilliant in both its simplicity and the variety of ways in which one can end up with toast. It’s a physical marvel too when one thinks of how different bread and toast are, despite them technically being the same thing. Toast can be crunchy, warm, and makes you want to eat a whole load more; whereas bread has a denser consistency which often satiates your appetite faster. The toaster pictured below is a Bersted Electric Toaster from the 1930s. It was the most affordable toaster in the early days of the Great Depression. A similar Bersted Toaster is currently on display in the current Gadget's Galore exhibit.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Discover the natural science, history, culture, and art of the Morongo Basin in Southern California at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex.