About Us
Our mission is to increase knowledge and appreciation of the diverse wildlife of the world and to educate the public about the role art and wildlife management play in conserving these valuable resources. Part of the mission of the museum is to provide a place to learn and study the relationship between man, wildlife, and the environment. Initially, the museum will display approximately 150 taxidermy animals and birds primarily from North America and Africa. The animals are displayed in dioramas with native habitats, mounted by highly skilled taxidermists, featuring murals painted by talented artisans. The art gallery portion of the museum features not only work from local and regional artists but also paintings and sculptures from international artists. Some of the works are permanent collections of the museum and some will be available for sale in the gallery.
The museum strives to teach our guests about the wonder of wildlife and their environment with the merger of science, technology, and art,” The artistic dioramas are accurate reflections of actual animal habitats that are also teaching tools of conservation, science, and art. Viewers can learn about wildlife management and the role artists and hunters play in preserving wild places and wild animals for future generations.”
Humans have been hunters from the beginning of time. Many pictographs, petroglyphs, and other artifacts document the use of animals for their survival. A wide range of pictographs in Central Washington, including Lake Chelan and the Columbia River Regions, captured visual examples of the relationship between early hunters in the area and native wildlife.
The museum also features an extensive Fire Ecology exhibit with numerous professional photos and explanations documenting the historical fire disturbances common in the Pacific Northwest. This exhibit was designed and installed by John Marshall from Wenatchee, WA.
Nature’s Window opened to the public in October of 2023, as well as for private functions and special events for community organizations as a meeting place, reception site, and venue for fund-raising events. As an education center, projections indicate that Nature’s Window will be used for hunter safety lessons, scout meetings, sportsmen clubs, school field trips, art classes and archery at the facility’s range.
The Founders of the museum are Shannon and Cristine Kollmeyer of Chelan, Washington. They have been active outdoor enthusiasts since childhood and involved with hunting and fishing organizations for many years. Shannon’s long career in real estate provided many opportunities for conservation projects on ranching and farming properties, demonstrating the value of wildlife enhancement in conjunction with agricultural endeavors. Cristine was an educator teaching in primary schools until retirement. Wildlife conservation education was frequently part of her curriculum program with visits to their home collection of wildlife taxidermy.