Friday Nights at OMCA brings back a Thursday After Hours special, Sketchboard Live Drawing! This Friday OMCA invites visitors to bring their sketch pads and appetites and get creative in the Museum’s Gallery of California Art with live drawing sessions.
Friday Nights at OMCA kicks off Oakland Carnival weekend with a bang! In celebration of the vibrant cultures of the Bay Area the night starts at the Garden Stage with a Soca Meets Samba Dance Workshop, a fun, all-levels, all-ages dance class highlighting some of the most popular moves from each genre. Immediately after, the MasFX Carnival Dance Experience will perform a portion of their 2024 showcase that leads into a party worthy blend of Soca, Reggaeton, Dancehall, Afrobeats, Baile Funk, Hip-Hop, House and more with a set from VibeHauss DJ’s. The Amphitheater will be activated too and will transport you to Trinidad and Tobago with the smooth vibrations of Cardinal Calypso Steel Pan Band.
Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.
Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture.
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is excited to invite educators and enthusiasts alike to join in a night of celebration and inspiration at the Curriculum Slam. Co-presented with the California Art Education Association and Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area, this event shines a spotlight on the innovative practices educators bring to their classrooms.
Inspired by the format of quick-paced presentations like PechaKucha, the Curriculum Slam offers a platform for educators to share creative practices across the arts and education community. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase how they integrate creativity, critical thinking, and innovation into their teaching.
Come out with Pride to Friday Nights at OMCA! Krudas Cubensi brings a blend of rap and poetry and Afro-Cuban music beats, like salsa, rumba, and Jazz from their album “They/Them Les Elles” and uplifts the resiliency of non-binary and trans people. The album being a collaboration between Krudas, Greg Landau and many local and international artists is an interwoven sonic tapestry that inspires reflection and action in the service of a better future for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.
Mark your calendars for another blockbuster evening at Friday Nights at OMCA! The Garden stage will host the distinct and spellbinding, Reyna Tropical. Uplifting the sounds of the tropical diaspora, Reyna Topical is not only a musical exploration and celebration of the pulse of the tropical diaspora, but the band also represents a commitment to creating abundant spaces for Black, Indigenous, and Queer joy.
For the closing of Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya, Spotlight Sundays will host a unique production of Undocumented Heart developed in collaboration with Teatro Jornalero, Peralta Hacienda, and the Oakland Theater Project. Teatro Jornalero is a LA based ensemble theater group made up of day laborers that uses theater, music, and dialogue to educate immigrant workers about their rights.
Join OMCA this Friday as we host Mak Nova and The Homies to our Garden Stage! A totally sensational mashup of spiritual celebration, authentic hip-hop, lyrical genius, and powerful stage presence Mak Nova and The Homies are sure to leave you smiling, sweating, and spiritually revived!
June’s final addition of Friday Nights at OMCA brings Skip The Needle to the Garden stage! A banging mix of soul, rock, and funk, Skip The Needle is ready to blast sonic love and energy! Furthering the rhythmic love is a Bachata lesson with In Lak’ech Dance Academy. Bachata Queer instructors, Angelica and Jahaira, are creating a gender inclusive and beginner friendly space to learn and bachata with Pride.
OMCA is the place to be this July! Our July Friday Nights lineup kicks off with the New Orleans sound of CHELLE! & Friends that’s great for the whole family. Led by New Orleans-native Michelle Jacques and featuring some of the Bay Area’s most distinguished musicians, CHELLE! & Friends concocts a sweet and spicy musical gumbo incorporating the many flavors in the New Orleans music scene that is sure to get people of any age excited and moving. That beat will pair well with the Deep House and Disco DJ stylings from Yuka Yu. Drag storytime with Per Sia offers another moment of delight as she reads We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. During all the excitement be sure to take a moment to create some nature-inspired clay art as a memento of another family fun-filled Friday Night at OMCA.
Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.
Experience ThursDates at OMCA – your weekly night out at the Museum rich with cocktails, culture, and community. Mingle at Town Fare Cafe by Chef Michele McQueen, where you can enjoy drinks and light bites against a backdrop of music, or explore the galleries which come alive at night with a mix of pop-up performances, chats, live drawings, and more– just for adults!
Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid, Oakland’s favorite free weekly block party is back, April—October!
Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday 5—9 pm for live music, hands-on activities, Off the Grid (OTG) food trucks, and late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.
Join us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Every third Sunday, OMCA invites visitors to Spotlight Sundays, a series of conversations, performances, and experiences that showcase California visionaries.
Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.
Interested in bringing a group to engage more deeply with our gallery content? Sign up for a Group Tour where knowledgeable facilitators share insights and help make meaning with your group in OMCA’s galleries.
The Oakland Museum Women’s Board started the White Elephant Sale over sixty years ago. The annual event is not-to-be-missed.
OMCA celebrates the Lunar New Year and explores the shared connections between the diverse Asian cultures of the Bay Area. These family-friendly programs will include both virtual and in-person offerings that celebrate and honor Lunar New Year traditions through storytelling, performances, activities, cooking demonstrations, and more. OMCA holds space for our AAPI communities to come together and uplift each other with both in-person and virtual healing circles.
In collaboration with OMCA’s Día de los Muertos Committee, we honor Day of the Dead every October and November.