Object Highlights

OMCA staff—from curators to gallery guides—reflect on objects from the Museum’s extensive collections that shares insights and inspiration for our present moment.

Object of the Week: San Joaquin Delta by Bob Walker

Gallery Guide Orion Camero finds connections to nature, art, and activism in a photograph by nature photographer Bob Walker.  

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Object of the Week: California Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Ryder Diaz, Curator of Natural Sciences, reflects on the many stories behind a jar of butterfly pupae in OMCA’s collection. …

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Object of the Week: Short-Handled Hoe

Associate Curator of History Erendina Delgadillo reflects on a short-handled hoe as an example of how undervalued workers organized to …

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Object of the Week: Suiseki Rock

Gallery Guide Addie Brian takes a closer look at a suiseki rock, an ancient art form that still inspires today. …

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Object of the Week: 1920s Chicken Toy

What’s the story behind a 1920s chicken toy in OMCA’s collection? Registrar Meredith Patute (and her pet chicken Redd) find …

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Object of the Week: 1917 Recipe Booklet

During the shelter in place, Associate Registrar Jadeen Young tackled a new baking project—from a 1917 recipe booklet called 55 …

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Object of the Week: Question Bridge: Black Males

In this time of physical distance, Assistant Curator Rhonda Pagnozzi is reminded of how deeply interconnected we are to each …

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Object of the Week: Patent Inventions from the 1800s

Peggy Monahan, OMCA Director of Content Development, gets inspired by people’s capacity to identify a problem, imagine a solution, and …

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Object of the Week: 1918 Flu Masks

At OMCA, we’ve always made a point of collecting objects that tell the important stories of California’s past, present, and …

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Object of the Week: Untitled (Vase)

In this time of uncertainty, OMCA Curator of Art Carin Adams reflects on Haruko Obata’s incredible hand-carved vase as a …

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