With the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center closed for extensive renovation, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is opening a temporary exhibit on the Oregon Trail at the nearby Baker Heritage Museum in Baker City, Oregon.
According to a news release, the new exhibit, which opened May 27, is a collaboration between Baker County, the Baker Heritage Museum Board and the Bureau of Land Management's Vale District.
“We appreciate the county’s willingness to provide a venue for us to continue to tell the story of the Oregon Trail, the settlement of eastern Oregon, and the history of the Bureau of Land Management while we update the center for the next 30 years,” said Vale District manager Wayne Monger in a statement.
The $6.5 million renovation of to the interpretive center includes new cement board siding, insulation, roofing, windows and doors, along with a heating and cooling system, the news release said.
“We are excited to host this exhibit and welcome these visitors," Baker Heritage Museum board chair Cammy Warner said in a statement. ”The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is a mainstay of heritage tourism throughout eastern Oregon.”
For the grand opening of the new exhibit Friday, admission is free. There will be costumed interpreters and light refreshments, the news release said.
When the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is open to visitors, it includes living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations and special events with more than 4 miles of interpretive trails.
Find out more about the exhibit at the Baker Heritage Museum, 2480 Grove St. in Baker City, by calling 541-523-1843 or emailing BLM_OR_NH_Mail@blm.gov.
