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Experience Rituals, Community-Created Altars, Performances, Hands-On Family Activities, Artisanal Mercado, Mesoamerican Cooking Demonstrations, and More

(OAKLAND, CA) September 24, 2018— The Oakland Museum of California will come alive for its 24th Days of the Dead Community Celebration on Sunday, October 21 from 12 to 4:30 pm. The Community Celebration–one of the most popular Days of the Dead events in the Bay Area–will feature a wide range of performances, from popular music to folkloric dance; community altars honoring loved-ones who have passed; an artisanal market; family-friendly craft activities; traditional and contemporary apparel, craft, and artwork; Mesoamerican arts and cooking, and more. Don’t miss the opening procession led by Aztec dancers and Days of the Dead committee members, beginning promptly at 12 pm. 

The daylong celebration will include:

A detailed list of the day’s activities can be found in Spanish and English at museumca.org. 

Days of the Dead Community Celebration tickets include Museum admission. Advance ticket sales begin on Tuesday, October 2. Additional ticketing fees apply. 
 
CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE LIST:
WHAT: OMCA’s 24th annual Days of the Dead Community Celebration
WHEN: Sunday, October 21, 12-4:30 pm
WHERE: Oakland Museum of California at 1000 Oak Street in Oakland, CA
COST: $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. Additional ticketing fees apply.
 
ABOUT OMCA FAMILY
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to being a welcoming and lively place for multi-generational Bay Area families to visit, learn, and engage through OMCA Family, with art activities, storytelling, and hands-on, drop-in projects throughout the Museum. OMCA’s other family-friendly offerings include free Family Guides to the Galleries available at ticketing desks, free activity Books & Blankets available for check-out anytime the Museum is open, and three large annual festivals: Lunar New Year in February, the Summer Reading Celebration in August with the Oakland Public Library, and the Days of the Dead Celebration in October. OMCA Festivals are made possible in part by generous support from the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and the Koret Foundation. museumca.org/family

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the many stories that comprise California, creating the space and context for greater connection, trust, and understanding between people. Through its inclusive exhibitions, public programs, educational initiatives, and cultural events, OMCA brings Californians together and inspires greater understanding about what our state’s art, history, and natural surroundings teach us about ourselves and each other. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA brings together its multi-disciplinary collections of art, history, and natural science with the first-person accounts and often untold narratives of California, all within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus. OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage for visitors from the region, the state, and around the world.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 OakStreet, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum. museumca.org
 
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS

Around the Block: A Day of Neighborhood Stories
September 29, 2018
Go beyond the walls of the Oakland Museum of California to experience Around the Block: A Day of Neighborhood Stories. Visit five engaging pop-up projects within a three-block radius of OMCA, for one day only on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Explore dynamic and interactive events created by artists and community organizers through shared storytelling, literature, dance, art, performances, and photography.
 
Listen, learn, and contribute your own story to these discussions about the many important issues facing Oakland today, including cultural legacy, gentrification, homelessness, and processing emotions around loss of life. Pick up a map at OMCA to find your way to each of the five locations and be a part of a special one-day celebration of Oakland’s culture. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The World of Charles and Ray Eames
October 13, 2018-February 17, 2019
Fueled by their belief in design as a way of life, the innovative husband and wife duo Charles and Ray Eames were two of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. Go beyond their most well-known designs in this intimate and inspiring exhibition portraying their legacy and lives in California. The Eameses–who founded The Eames Office–valued knowledge and discovery, embraced the joy of trial and error, and saw no separation between life and work. Through multi-media installations, films, rare prototypes, photography, furniture, toys, products, as well as personal letters, drawings, and artwork, discover the story of the Eameses from a fresh perspective. Explore the breadth of their work across many fields in this interactive exhibition that brings their ideas and playful spirit to life. 
 
The World of Charles and Ray Eames was curated and organized by Barbican Art Gallery, London. The Oakland Museum of California presentation is made possible by Herman Miller and the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, in collaboration with the Barbican Art Gallery and Eames Office, with support from Terra Foundation. There is a $4 charge for this special exhibition in addition to regular Museum admission.
 
Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline
November 10, 2018-March 17, 2019
Drop back in time to see the natural environment of California in a new way. Discover the connections between art and science through fantastically colorful renderings by artist Ray Troll and the research of paleontologist Kirk Johnson, who made an incredible journey to map the ancient world with a fresh perspective. Together, the fossil-loving scientist and his artist friend paint a vivid picture of the land and creatures that once roamed the West Coast thousands of years ago. Learn how fossils teach us about how California’s landscape, plants, and animals have evolved over millions of years. With the addition of sculpture, maps, a giant sloth–or Paramylodon harlani–and other fossils and bones from the collections of OMCA and the California Academy of Sciences, and a fun hands-on activity, this exhibition will thrill fossil fans and curious culture-seekers alike. The exhibition is organized by the Anchorage Museum.

ON VIEW

Homegrown Heroes: Oakland A’s at 50
Through October 21, 2018
Share your love for Oakland’s hometown team with a new pop-up installation in the Gallery of California History celebrating the Oakland A’s 50th anniversary. Honor three iconic homegrown heroes-Dennis Eckersley, Rickey Henderson, and Dave Stewart-and get up close with rare photographs, high school yearbook images, and sports memorabilia worn by the players to learn about their roots in The Town and contributions to the team. Reminisce about the legendary 1989 Battle of the Bay World Series with a poster from the OMCA Collection, and contribute your own baseball memories of playing America’s favorite pastime or attending an A’s game.The mini-exhibition is supported in part by the Oakland Athletics.
 
A Question of Faith 
Through November 4, 2018
Engage in the conversation on art and politics when the Oakland Museum of California takes part in the widely-anticipated For Freedoms Federation’s 50 State Initiative this fall. Founded by Hank Willis Thomas and Eric Gottesman, the project is one of the largest creative collaborations in the history of the country. Hundreds of cultural, educational, and public sites will inspire political participation through the arts leading up to the midterm elections.
 
From September 10 to November 4 throughout Oakland, visitors can view A Question of Faith, a temporary public artwork by artist Chris Johnson on billboards and bus shelters-as well as OMCA’s campus-that remixes photographs by acclaimed 20th century documentary photographer Dorothea Lange with a quote by American Transcendentalist Theodore Parker. This artwork reflects upon the role of faith and history in politics, and provides a platform to share views at the Museum’s interactive chalkboard installation.


Take Root: Oakland Grows Food 
Through November 2019 
Unearth Oakland’s multi-layered world of food in Take Root: Oakland Grows Food, an exhibition exploring aspects of growing food in Oakland. Enjoy this hands-on exhibition with the entire family to understand what factors determine where, how, why, and what is grown throughout the city. Hear personal stories from farmers and growers within the community, see compelling illustrations and maps, and meet the diverse flavors of Oakland. Learn what motivations Oaklanders have for growing food-including access to healthy and delicious ingredients, environmental and social justice values, or simply the joy of tending a garden. Visitors are invited to share personal stories, explore interactive activities, and gain a deeper understanding of Oakland’s agriculture. This exhibition issupported by Kaiser Permanente, the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, and members of the Donor Forum.

 

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