Oakland Museum of California Announces 2026 Exhibitions, Publications, and Public Programms

OMCA Celebrates Diverse California Stories and
Offers a Community Gathering Space Throughout the Year 

(Oakland, CA, Enero 8, 2026) — The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces a vibrant year of exhibitions, publications, and community-centered events for 2026, offering expansive opportunities for connection, creativity, and cultural reflection. Highlights include major new special exhibitions such as Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory, the first career survey of a renowned local artist, and BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration, a history exhibition enhanced with new technologies. The year also features the return of signature programs such as ThursDates at OMCA and Viernes Nights at OMCA, as well as beloved cultural celebrations like the 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, the 32nd Annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration, and OMCA’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration—all affirming OMCA as a dynamic gathering place for the Bay Area. Visitors will also have their final chance to experience several acclaimed exhibitions closing in 2026, including Ancestral Visions by Chelsea Ryoko Wong, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain, and Good Fire: Tending Native Lands. For full details on upcoming programs, visit www.museumca.org.

2026 EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, PUBLIC PROGRAMS OUTLOOK

ThursDates at OMCA

Every Jueves, Enero 8–Marzo 26, 2026 | 5–8 pm | OMCA Campus
This winter, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) hosts ThursDates at OMCA, Oakland’s most creative night out. Every Jueves, Enero through Marzo, OMCA welcomes guests into its warm after-hours glow for an evening of rotating intimate performances, live figure drawing sessions, game nights, and more—designed just for adults. Visitors can expect signature cocktails and delicious bites inside Town Fare by Michele McQueen, all to a soundtrack of local Oakland artists and DJs. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit ThursDates at OMCA.

Black History Month School Performances

Grades K-3 | Febrero 4–6 + Febrero 11, 2026
Grades 4–8 | Febrero 12–13, 2026
60-minute slots at 10 am & 11:30 am | James Moore Theater
OMCA welcomes educators and their students to experience music that sparks change through interactive school performances from GRAMMY/EMMY Award–winning Alphabet Rockers. During these scheduled performance slots, students actively engage using their voices and bodies, learn how Hip-Hop can help create brave spaces, and leave inspired to take pride in their identities and to shape a more equitable world. *Space for this season is currently full; educators are encouraged to sign up early when tickets for 2027 performances go live in Noviembre 2026.

25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Horse

Sábado, Febrero 21, 2026 | 11 am–4 pm | OMCA Campus
OMCA welcomes guests to the 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration. The Museum is ready to gallop into the Year of the Horse at this annual celebration honoring Lunar New Year traditions through family-friendly storytelling, performances, and activities. Festival access starts at 11 am, and activities and performances begin at noon. Come uplift AAPI communities and explore the shared connections between Asian cultures of the Bay Area.

Viernes por la noche en OMCA con Off the Grid

Every Viernes, Abril–Octubre, 2026 | 5–9 pm | OMCA Campus
Oakland’s favorite weekly block party returns! Gather with family, friends, and community every Viernes at 5 pm for free live music, hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and, with a Museum ticket, late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions. Grab dinner from eight Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street, or stop by the Town Fare bar for beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase. Enjoy your meal in OMCA’s garden and experience rotating Museum programming while making new memories, right in the heart of Oakland.

Special Art Exhibition:Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory

Junio 12–Octubre 11, 2026 | Great Hall | Press Kit
Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memoryis the first major museum exhibition to celebrate the work of beloved Bay Area artist Mildred Howard. Spanning Howard’s five-decade practice, Poetics of Memory brings together her renowned collages, found-object sculptures, and immersive installations that explore memory, identity, and the African American experience. New and never-before-seen pieces punctuate the exhibition, while archival materials from Howard’s Oakland studio illuminate the cultural currents and lived experiences that shape her practice.

Born in San Francisco in 1945, Howard has been a lifelong resident of the East Bay. In the 1970s, she began making art influenced by textiles, African Diasporic dance, and fellow artists like Betye Saar, Raymond Saunders, and David Ireland. Howard’s studio became a space for experimentation, where her work has referenced both personal history and collective, generational experiences—from World War I and rapper Tupac Shakur to her family’s own roots in the Great Migration. Howard’s monumental public artworks—found across the Bay Area—have also highlighted often overlooked histories, from the Black shipworkers of Hunters Point to the musicians who defined San Francisco jazz. Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory invites visitors into Howard’s vibrant, poetic world.

OMCA Publication: Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory

Publishing Junio 2026 
Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory offers the first comprehensive compendium of artist Mildred Howard’s (b. 1945) expansive practice. Published by Marquand Books and distributed by Distributed Art Publishers (DAP), the catalogue documents the full range of Howard’s artistic output and affirms her artistic and cultural impact through new scholarship and documentation. Materials from the artist’s personal archive and newly commissioned photographs of the artist’s studio and archive provide readers with an in-depth view of Howard’s creative process and evolving visual language. Essays by Makeda Best, Lian Ladia, and Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins, along with an interview of the artist by OMCA Senior Curator of Art Carin Adams, offer critical perspectives on Howard’s practice, her engagement with community and place, and her influence within contemporary art.

Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Viernes, Junio 19, 2026 | OMCA Campus
Join us for a day-long celebration honoring Black resilience, heritage, and collective joy. Visitors can expect the OMCA campus to come alive with the powerful sounds of an all-star lineup across two live music stages, alongside food, activities, and experiences that highlight Black creativity and community.

OMCA Publication: Born of the Bear Dance: The Indigenous Photography of Dugan Aguilar

Publishing Julio 2026 
Born of the Bear Dance: The Indigenous Photography of Dugan Aguilar will present a comprehensive look at the celebrated Native photographer’s four-decade career documenting contemporary Native life in California. Published by Radius Books, a leading publisher of photography books, the volume draws from an archive of more than 20,000 negatives, hundreds of prints, and personal materials gifted to OMCA by the Aguilar family in 2021. Alongside essays by Native scholars, artists, and community members, these materials offer readers an unprecedented view into Aguilar’s creative world and the communities with whom he collaborated.

Special History Exhibition: BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration

Septiembre 18–Diciembre 27, 2026 | Great Hall
This fall, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) will present BeHere: 1942, a special exhibition featuring an augmented reality (AR) experience by Japanese media and interactive artist Masaki Fujihata. Reflecting on the impact of Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, the exhibition uses digital media to reframe how history and memory are seen and felt. Originally developed by the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities at UCLA in Collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum, BeHere: 1942 will expand at OMCA to include new Oakland-focused content, an enhanced AR experience, and a new publication supported by the Yanai Initiative.

32nd Annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration

Domingo, Octubre 25 | 11 am–4 pm | OMCA Campus
This fall, OMCA invites you to the 32nd annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration, honoring the rich traditions of this cherished cultural holiday. The day begins with a procession led by members of the Día de los Muertos Committee, welcoming all to participate in a meaningful gathering of remembrance and community. After, enjoy a full day of connection through hands-on activities, live music, delicious food, and the vibrant presence of danza and ceremonia. Stroll the Museum campus to experience beautifully crafted ofrendas, or visit the mercado to support local artisans offering handmade goods, altar items, and Día de los Muertos–inspired art.

Día de los Muertos School Performances

Octubre 2026 | Grades K-8 | 60min slots at 10 am & 11:30 am | James Moore Theater
OMCA  welcomes educators and their students to celebrate Día de los Muertos through interactive school performances, designed for K–8 students. Teachers sign up for scheduled performance slots and bring their classes to the Museum for a bilingual, participatory experience featuring music, storytelling, instruments, and dance inspired by Day of the Dead traditions. Students will explore ways communities honor loved ones while learning about cultural traditions and each other. *Space is limited; educators are encouraged to sign up early when tickets go live in early summer.

Domingos destacados

Every Third Domingo, Year-Round | Sliding Scale $1-$30
Every third Domingo, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) invites guests to Spotlight Sundays, a dynamic series highlighting California visionaries through conversations, performances, and hands-on experiences. Visitors can explore thought-provoking discussions, live performances, films, workshops, and more, all designed to celebrate the people and ideas shaping California and beyond. Event times vary, and tickets are available on a sliding scale from $1 to $30. For more information, visit OMCA’s Events Calendar.

Charlas de galería en OMCA

Every Sábado, 1–3 pm |  All Galleries
Join us for Gallery Chats, a chance to connect with our enthusiastic facilitators and explore the stories behind the artwork and artifacts in our galleries. These conversations put a twist on the traditional museum tour, encouraging fresh interpretations and meaningful engagement. Gallery Chats take place every Sábado from 1–3 pm, as well as during Viernes Nights (Abril–Octubre) and ThursDates (Enero–Marzo) from 5:30–7:30 pm, and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission. No reservation necessary.

Free First Sundays at OMCA

Every First Domingo, Year-Round | OMCA Campus
Every first Domingo of the month, OMCA offers free General Admission to its Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences, with Special Exhibition tickets in the Great Hall available for just $6. Between gallery explorations, visitors can browse locally made goods in the museum shop or unwind in the garden. To secure your preferred entry time and minimize wait, we encourage you to reserve free tickets online in advance, though they are also available at the Ticketing Desk on a first-come, first-served basis.

LAST CHANCE | OMCA EXHIBITIONS CLOSING IN 2026 

Ancestral Visions: An Installation by Chelsea Ryoko Wong

Through Domingo, Febrero 1, 2026 | Gallery of California Art |Press Kit
Fashion, family histories, and personal identity intersect in this special installation by Bay Area artist Chelsea Ryoko Wong. Wong’s energetic and colorful paintings, drawn from both real-life events and her imagination, depict busy, rhythmic scenes of people going about their daily lives. For this project, Wong’s paintings take inspiration from dresses owned by seven 20th-century Chinese American women whose clothing and legacies live on in OMCA’s collection.

Black Spaces: Reclaim and Remain

Through Domingo, Marzo 1, 2026 | Great Hall |Press Kit
Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remainnavigates the braided histories of displacement, resistance, and resilience within Black American communities in Oakland and the East Bay. Through new commissions in art, architecture, and archival research, the exhibition traces how these communities have creatively resisted dispossession and reimagined spaces of home and belonging. Drawing inspiration from the legacies of West Oakland and Russell City, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain pulls both from the OMCA permanent collection and newly commissioned installations by artist Adrian Burrell, architect Junio Grant with blinkLAB architecture, and the Archive of Urban Futures andMoms 4 Housing.

Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic

Through Abril 2026| Lower Level | Press Kit
The collaborative installation includes a timeline of Fairyland’s journey,  a “then-and-now” look at its beloved attractions, and a glimpse into the park’s bright future. Visitors will discover miniatures created by local artists, photos of Magic Keys through the decades, and even one of Fairyland’s original Jolly Trolly cars for kids and families to climb aboard. The Museum welcomes visitors to celebrate Fairyland’s role in shaping Oakland’s cultural landscape before its close in Abril 2026.

Good Fire: Tending Native Lands

Through Domingo, Mayo 31, 2026  | Great Hall | Press Kit
Good Fire: Tending Native Lands explores how Native communities in Northern California have used controlled fire—also called “good fire” or “cultural burning”—to care for the land and sustain traditions for millennia. Organized in collaboration with Native fire practitioners, artists, ecologists, and cultural leaders, the exhibition reframes fire as not solely a destructive force, but as an essential tool for supporting healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities. Good Fire: Tending Native Lands is ultimately a call to reimagine California’s relationship with fire, honoring Native sovereignty and building a future where fire once again sustains life.

Students on Strike

Through Domingo, Mayo 31, 2026 | Gallery of California History | Press Kit
Students on Strike examines the enduring legacy of student activism at San Francisco State University by comparing the 1968-1969 student strike that established the nation’s first Black Studies Department to recent campus protests against the war in Gaza. Through historical and contemporary posters and photographs, the intimate exhibit shows how students have consistently demanded justice and accountability from institutions, then and now.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
Founded in 1969 as the “museum of the people,” Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the diverse stories of California’s art, history, and natural environment. Through inclusive exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, OMCA creates space for meaningful dialogue and strives to build more equitable, empathetic, and connected communities. With more than 2 million objects, OMCA’s collection of art, history, and natural science is a resource for understanding California’s dynamic heritage—all within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus. A leading Bay Area cultural institution rooted in Oakland, OMCA is dedicated to fostering an environment where visitors from the region, state, and beyond feel valued and empowered to shape the future of California’s cultural landscape.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $19 general admission; $16 for seniors; and $12 for youth ages 12 to 17 as well as for students and educators with valid ID, and free for Members and children 12 and under. There is a $6 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions in the Great Hall. 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. An accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum.