The Museum at Warm Springs reopens after closure for upgrades

The Museum at Warm Springs reopened to the public Tuesday after a five-month closure.

The museum — located on the Warm Springs Reservation in central Oregon — preserves artwork, histories and artifacts from three distinct cultures — the Wasco, Warm Springs and Paiute Tribes.

Right before it closed its doors last December, people would have to wear heavy coats to tour the indoor exhibits, said museum Executive Director Elizabeth Woody.

That’s because heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems were failing and in some instances, endangering the collection.

Now, Woody said, the updated museum is ready for visitors again, though some of the renovations are still underway due to supply chain issues. For example, the building reopened in this week’s mild spring weather while it’s still awaiting a new boiler that will be essential during the colder months.

“We need to have environmental control for the safety of the archives and the collection,” Woody said. “This is the start of a lot of work that we have to do at the museum.”

When the museum first opened more than 30 years ago — in 1993 — it became the first tribally-owned museum in Oregon, and a national model for Native representation used by other institutions around the country. The Museum at Warm Springs’ regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 5 p.m.

Museum officials expect to open a special exhibition later this summer. “Portraits in Red: Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples Painting Project,” will feature paintings by Nayana LaFond (Anishinaabe, Abenaki and Mi’kmaq descent), focusing on missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.