Just an hour north of Bend lies a striking structure that houses The Museum at Warm Springs. The museum is a cultural hub that has been preserving and sharing the traditions of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs since 1993. The annual membership drive is an effort to raise awareness about its mission and to grow the membership base.
This year's drive is in honor of Board of Directors member and ancestor Kenneth Smith.
Smith passed away in May of 2020 and was well known for his devotion to the Warm Springs community and the museum. Bill Flood, part of the museum's Community Development team, remembers Smith as a "gentle, collaborative and super, super smart guy."
In addition, The Roundhouse Foundation is matching any funds from new museum memberships during this drive. Nearly 30 years after its opening, the team behind the museum works to provide unique events and exhibits that highlight indigenous history and culture.
Flood notes that upcoming events include fundraisers centered around indigenous literature from the past, present and future. On Friday, Aug. 27 and Saturday, Aug. 28 the Museum will host its annual Honor Dinner and Celebration in Portland. U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and author and Warm Springs elder George W. Aguilar, Sr. will be honored at this year's event with a chance for indigenous youth to tell their own stories.
Members are asked to make a financial contribution and receive free access to museum exhibits, special event invites and join a community of those designed to support the museum and its mission.
"The Museum at Warm Springs is about educating the world about preservation, advancement, and sharing of Indigenous cultures throughout the Northwest and beyond," says Museum Director Elizabeth A. Woody.
