Collections
What We Collect
We are constantly adding new artifacts to our collection, and currently have over 75,000 cataloged items and archives from all over Deschutes County including photographs, digital images, objects, textiles, books, and more.
The artifacts and stories you see on exhibit represent only a fraction of what we store in our collection. Displaying artifacts for too long exposes them to light, dirt and causes faster degradation.
When the museum acquires an artifact, we first assess it to see if it needs to be stabilized to avoid further degradation. Artifacts are then given a number, cataloged, and stored in our archives.
Although access to our records for the objects in our collection are not available online, you can browse through a portion of our extensive photo collection. We are always adding new photos for you to enjoy!
If you would like to set up an appointment to come to the museum for research, call 541-389-1813 or email us at info@deschuteshistory.org.
Donate to the Collection
Thank you so much for your interest in donating an artifact or artifacts to the museum! Donations are critical to our museum mission to preserve, promote, and celebrate our shared family history. Your cherished family and personal artifacts help us tell the story of Deschutes County!
Our collection is a source of knowledge, ideas, stories, and memories. It is developed and managed as a community resource to inspire, educate, and inform the community and visitors and contribute to the conservation and research of the history and heritage of the area.
Because of our limited space and resources, we must be very thoughtful and careful about the artifacts we accept into our collection.
1. The museum only acquires objects that have direct ties to Deschutes County or that help interpret themes, places, and people in the history of the region.
2. No objects or collections will be acquired or accepted with conditions or restrictions on how they might be used or displayed in the future.
Artifacts we are particularly interested in:
- Photographs documenting life in Deschutes County and the history of the region.
- Printed or handwritten material such as letters, documents, journals, ledgers, maps, brochures, menus, business signs, other signs, etc.
- Textiles that originally belonged to, used by, or worn by residents of Deschutes County.
- Ephemera, such as matchbooks, pins, rulers, etc. that represent the businesses and the people of Deschutes County.
*We have limited space for larger items and furniture, such as sewing machines, pianos, dollhouses, and chainsaws.
*We cannot accept items that contain mold as they are a danger to the other artifacts in our collection.
In general, we do not accept paper copies of newspapers.
If you are interested in donating an artifact to the museum, please fill out the following form and we will contact you.
If possible, send photos of the item to rebekah@deschuteshistory.org