Step inside a Coos Bay museum where visitors can climb aboard historic trains

ScienceWorks is offering shark dissections, gem mining and more this summer

Visitors play on the water table at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7541a4d/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2000x1334+0+0/resize/792x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2Fbd%2Fb7d63691459f9b2419c14edec5ad%2Fwater-table-kids-and-adults.jpg]Visitors play on the water table at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. (Marven Walder) From shark dissections to wall dancing, ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum [https://www.scienceworksmuseum.org/camps] in Ashland is offering eight weeks of summer camps focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math, or STEAM. Brooke Conti, guest services supervisor, said the camps are designed to spark curiosity through hands-on experiences. The museum's summer lineup includes programs focused on geology, marine science, art, theater and engineering, along with opportunities for teenagers to volunteer as camp assistants. ScienceWorks aims to inspire curiosity through hands-on learning and interactive experiences. Among the offerings is Subterranean Science, a camp where children can meet Madagascar hissing cockroaches and learn about geology through gem mining activities. The museum also incorporates arts programming into its summer schedule. The Cosmic Cadets camp includes "wall dancing," which allows children to safely climb and perform movements on the museum's exterior walls. Conti said arts and theater activities encourage creativity through projects such as prop-making and costume design. Aerial arts is incorporated into the kids camps at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eb808b0/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2000x1334+0+0/resize/792x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F6a%2Fd665ed464b08a34970c1b5b6a95d%2Fashland-aerial-arts-silks-earth-day-upside-down-kid-2.jpg]Aerial arts is incorporated into the kids camps at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. (Marven Walder) ScienceWorks will also host Mural Fest on June 20-21, featuring 23 regional artists creating artwork in and around the museum plaza. The museum offers volunteer opportunities for teenagers 13 and older who want to serve as camp assistants. To increase accessibility, ScienceWorks offers $5 admission on the first Sunday of each month and $3 admission for visitors who use EBT or WIC benefits. Conti said the museum hopes children leave with new skills and a sense of curiosity. "We want them to gain curiosity, confidence in their skills and grow a passion for learning," she said. Youth participate in an Austin Droscher kids camp at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/810c2d3/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2000x1500+0+0/resize/704x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2Fe2%2F54ffbf6a40429a8cd7ce9d4fb2de%2Faustin-droscher-camp-diane-dwyer.jpg]Youth participate in an Austin Droscher kids camp at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon. (Diane Dwyer) GUEST * Brooke Conti, Guest Services Supervisor, ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum [https://www.scienceworksmuseum.org/]

How one family is working to make Klamath Falls more inclusive

Gloria Hoggarth, co-founder and executive director of Major Connections, explains the organization during a table display. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/98ac392/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1222x661+0+0/resize/792x428!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F78%2F252f6d0d406fb474c2bf60f7b2b0%2Fgloria-hoggarth-explains-major-connections-during-a-table-display.png]Gloria Hoggarth, co-founder and executive director of Major Connections, explains the organization during a table display. (Courtesy of Major Connections ) When Casey Hoggarth's son, Major, was diagnosed with autism at age 2, Hoggarth and his wife, Gloria, began looking for ways to strengthen support for families with disabilities in the Klamath Basin. Rather than moving elsewhere in search of services, the couple founded Major Connections [https://www.majorconnections.org/], a nonprofit named after their son that aims to connect people with disabilities and their families to resources and community. Hoggarth, a physical therapist, and Gloria, a speech-language pathologist, said they saw a need for a central gathering place in Southern Oregon. One of the organization's goals is to encourage event organizers to consider accessibility from the beginning rather than treating it as an afterthought. "Inclusive Klamath would look like having accessibility and connection at the forefront of events rather than afterthought to things," Hoggarth said. Major Connections has secured a 4,000-square-foot building, which will include a children's play center designed for people of all abilities and serve as a gathering space for families. Hoggarth said the facility will include areas for both quiet and active play to accommodate different sensory needs. The organization also plans to host support groups for people living with conditions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Future plans include job-training opportunities for people with disabilities. Major Connections hopes to open the facility by the end of the summer and is seeking volunteers and community sponsors. For Hoggarth, the goal is to bring disabled and non-disabled residents together. GUEST * Casey Hoggarth, co-founder, Major Connections [https://www.majorconnections.org/]

Klamath Wetlands Week highlights one of the West's largest wetland ecosystems

The Western Grebe with chicks is photographed in the Klamath Basin. The Bird Alliance of Oregon is hosting a week-long series of events called Klamath Wetlands Week, which concludes June 6, 2026. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d01d9ad/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1500x929+0+0/resize/792x491!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F2d%2Fbd69e3b3494cba6d3a467daac556%2Fwestern-grebe-with-chicks.jpg]The Western Grebe with chicks is photographed in the Klamath Basin. The Bird Alliance of Oregon is hosting a week-long series of events called Klamath Wetlands Week, which concludes June 6, 2026. (Mary Williams Hyde / https://birdallianceoregon.org/ ) Often called the "Everglades of the West [https://www.doi.gov/ocl/klamath-river-basin]," the Klamath Basin is home to one of the largest wetland ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. The Bird Alliance of Oregon [https://birdallianceoregon.org/our-work/learn/adult-programs/free-sliding-scale-programs/klamath-wetlands-week/] is highlighting that landscape through Klamath Wetlands Week, a series of events designed to connect residents and visitors with the region's wetlands and the wildlife that depend on them. Teresa Wicks, the organization's Eastern Oregon field coordinator and the event's lead organizer, said she was inspired to create the event after returning to the basin in 2025. While the area is well known for its winter bird migrations, she wanted to highlight the abundance of wildlife present during the breeding season. “One of the things that I really love about the basin is the amount of life that you see in the wetlands during the breeding season,” Wicks said. Historically, the Klamath Basin watershed supported about 300,000 acres of wetlands across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Participants have already experienced some of that wildlife during events such as a white-faced ibis flyout, where more than 7,500 birds were counted. “At one point, we had about 500 white-faced ibis in different-sized groups flying out toward the alfalfa fields," Wicks said. "It was a pretty cool thing to see.” Black-necked Stilts in flight over the Klamath Basin. The Bird Alliance of Oregon is hosting a series of birding events for Klamath Wetlands Week, which concludes June 6, 2026. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/93b7841/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1500x985+0+0/resize/792x520!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbc%2Fa5%2Fb34de5dc45e4954a94c0b3321429%2Fblack-necked-stilts-in-flight.jpg]Black-necked Stilts in flight over the Klamath Basin. The Bird Alliance of Oregon is hosting a series of birding events for Klamath Wetlands Week, which concludes June 6, 2026.(Mary Williams Hyde / https://birdallianceoregon.org/ ) The week also highlights ongoing restoration efforts, including the Barnes and Agency Lakes reconnection project [https://www.ijpr.org/environment-energy-and-transportation/2025-01-22/water-flows-as-part-of-a-massive-habitat-restoration-in-the-upper-klamath-basin], one of the largest freshwater wetland restoration projects in the western United States. Wicks said the event aims to help people better understand the variety of wetland habitats in the basin and the role those habitats play in supporting wildlife. "My biggest goal is to connect people to the wetlands in the basin and to the fact that birds rely on a diversity of wetland types," she said. GUEST * Teresa Wicks [https://birdallianceoregon.org/about-us/our-staff/], Eastern Oregon field coordinator, Bird Alliance of Oregon [https://birdallianceoregon.org/]

Inside the only art museum on the Oregon coast

Visitors at the PNW Community Coral Reef Project exhibit in the Perkins Gallery of the maritime-themed exhibition "Surge" at the Coos Art Museum. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3300293/2147483647/strip/false/crop/8064x6048+0+0/resize/704x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2F8c%2F614345d04f1289b70a5cad19cac7%2Fcoos-art-museum-exhibit.jpg]Visitors at the PNW Community Coral Reef Project exhibit in the Perkins Gallery of the maritime-themed exhibition "Surge" at the Coos Art Museum.(https://coosartmuseum.org/event/maritime-art-surge/ ) The Coos Art Museum [https://coosartmuseum.org/] in Coos Bay is the only art museum on the Oregon coast and is housed in a historic Art Deco post office building that opened in 1936. Executive Director Lydia Heins said the museum is marking the building's 90th anniversary this year while continuing to showcase work by local, regional and national artists. Coos Art Museum is housed inside an old 1930s former post office with Art Deco style architecture. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0677cae/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1859x738+0+0/resize/792x314!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5e%2F86%2Fa78127324c60ba49099305befcb7%2Fcoos-art-museum.png]Coos Art Museum is housed inside an old 1930s former post office with Art Deco style architecture. This summer, the museum's featured exhibition is "Surge," its annual maritime-themed show. The exhibit explores the movement and power of the ocean through a variety of artistic media. "The ocean is so powerful," Heins said. "There's so much going on even beneath the surface." Featured works include River Reishi's best-in-show sand sculpture and a driftwood orca created by local artist Terry Woodall. The museum also invests in emerging artists through Vision 2026, a program that provides high school students with opportunities to exhibit their work in a professional setting. Sculpture on display for the Coos Art Museum's maritime exhibition, "Surge." [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/de549f0/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2560x1920+0+0/resize/704x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F82%2Ff8%2Fb96104a945abba1634f68c99df6d%2Fcoos-art-museum-exhibit-whale-sculpture.jpg]Sculpture on display for the Coos Art Museum's maritime exhibition, "Surge." ( Coos Art Museum) The museum also invests in emerging artists through Vision 2026, a program that provides high school students with opportunities to exhibit their work in a professional setting. Heins said the program helps students develop creative skills and gain experience presenting their work to the public. In addition to its exhibitions, the museum offers youth scholarships, adult art classes and a gallery where museum members can rent or buy artwork. Heins said she hopes visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for the ocean and the artists who interpret it through their work. GUEST * Lydia Heins, executive director, Coos Art Museum [https://coosartmuseum.org/]

How Wildlife Images cares for Oregon's injured and orphaned animals

'Gilbert' is a young Grizzly bear who was saved after the death of his mother. He lives at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/973c56a/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3007x1956+0+0/resize/792x515!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2Fa0%2Fe137f57248a39f96b4ee6a44842b%2Fgilbert-grizzly-when-he-first-arrived.jpeg]'Gilbert' is a young Grizzly bear who was saved after the death of his mother. He lives at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon.(https://wildlifeimages.org/) In Grants Pass, a 25-acre wildlife sanctuary gives injured and orphaned animals a chance to recover and return to the wild. Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center [https://wildlifeimages.org/], now in its 45th year, cares for about 1,000 animals each year. Executive Director Dave Siddon said the nonprofit's mission is to "involve, educate, inspire." Siddon said connecting with young people can be challenging in an age dominated by screens. 'Albert,' the barn owl, lives at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/41af152/2147483647/strip/false/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/791x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F2d%2F516768ce4282bfbd866e27b00860%2Falbert-the-barn-owl.JPG]'Albert,' the barn owl, lives at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. (https://wildlifeimages.org/ ) "The best way we found to communicate is basically to involve them in something we're doing," he said. That can include helping prepare animal diets or participating in up-close animal encounters. The center is currently in the midst of baby season, when staff may receive as many as 40 young animals in a single day. Siddon said Wildlife Images releases a higher percentage of rehabilitated animals than the national average. Some animals cannot return to the wild. Those animals remain at the facility as wildlife ambassadors, including Gilbert, a 400-pound grizzly bear, and several retired film animals. Visitors can see a wide variety of wildlife throughout the park. For an additional fee, guests can book animal encounters such as feeding river otters, meeting a grizzly bear or joining a guided walk with a wolf-dog hybrid. A golden eagle at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3948e67/2147483647/strip/false/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/791x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2F3f%2F41ce75cd482c867ead2feda4f688%2Fgolden-eagle.JPG]A golden eagle at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. (https://wildlifeimages.org/ ) Operating the facility is expensive. Siddon said the nonprofit's annual budget exceeds $1 million. Wildlife Images does not charge for animal treatment and relies on memberships, volunteers and donations to support its work. Reflecting on his years at the center, Siddon said, "It's been a chunk of heaven." GUEST * Dave Siddon, executive director, Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center [https://wildlifeimages.org/]