Events

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Upcoming Events

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Today

Gathering in the Garden

Act fast—get your tickets today! Join us on May 31 for our annual fundraiser. Taking place in our 7-acre urban garden, W. Kamau Bell will lead a powerful conversation with filmmaker and artist Adrian L. Burrell, CEO of the Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation Carolyn Johnson, and New York Times bestselling author of Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley. These Oakland-born artists and community leaders will set the OMCA Garden stage with an engaging dialogue on the power of art and social change. We’ll then celebrate under the stars with entertainment, dancing, food, and drinks.

Sliding scale

Friday Nights at OMCA with Aguacero

OMCA campus

Friday Nights at OMCA honors Pride Month with a vibrant celebration of culture, identity, and rhythm! Feel the pulse of Puerto Rico with Aguacero, an intergenerational ensemble bringing Bomba to life through percussion, dance, and song. Blending traditional and original compositions, their performance tells powerful Afro-Caribbean stories and invites all ages to join the rhythm through call and response, movement, and music.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with Discos Resaca Collective

OMCA campus

Friday Nights at OMCA is turning up the energy with a night full of music, movement, and rhythm you won’t want to miss! Get ready to hit the dance floor as Discos Resaca Collective brings their signature Bay Area West Coast Cumbia sound to life. Featuring Mariposas del Alma’s soulful harmonies and Deuce Eclipse’s legendary rhymes, their high-octane set blends heavy percussion and soaring accordion riffs for an unforgettable live performance.

Free

Hella Juneteenth Festival returns to OMCA

OMCA Great Hall 1000 Oak, Oakland, California

Get ready for an unforgettable Juneteenth celebration at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)! In partnership with Hella Creative, this year’s celebration promises another unforgettable day of community, culture, and delicious bites that pay tribute to Black heritage. Savor mouthwatering dishes from the Bay Area’s top Black chefs and restaurants, groove to live music, and dive into games and activities that honor the richness of Black culture and freedom. It’s more than a cookout—it’s a celebration of heritage, unity, and the joy of being Black. Stay tuned for more details on this can’t-miss event!

$10 – $95

Friday Nights at OMCA with ASTU

OMCA campus

This Friday Nights at OMCA continues the spirit of Juneteenth with an unforgettable evening of soul-stirring sound and immersive vibes that bring the community together! Don’t miss a live performance by ASTU, whose captivating voice and raw emotional presence take center stage alongside a genre-defying live band. With a sound that blends soulful vocals, magnetic vulnerability, and powerful instrumentation, ASTU delivers a performance that’s as intimate as it is electrifying.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA with King Isis

OMCA campus

Friday Nights at OMCA celebrates Pride Month with an evening of powerful music, fierce movement, and joyful community connection! Don’t miss a live performance by King Isis, whose emotionally charged set takes audiences on a transformative journey through healing and self-discovery. Blending raw alt-pop with acoustic, R&B, and grunge textures, King Isis brings a performance that is as vulnerable as it is empowering.

Free

Ongoing events

Evening hours Thursday After Hours

Experience Thursday After Hours 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! 

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Evening hours Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid

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.

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Gallery Events Gallery Chats at OMCA

Join us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.

 

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Third Sundays Spotlight Sundays

Every third Sunday, OMCA invites visitors to Spotlight Sundays, a series of conversations, performances, and experiences that showcase California visionaries.

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First Sundays First Sundays

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.

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Gallery Events Group Tours

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.

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Annual events

Community Event White Elephant Sale

The Oakland Museum Women’s Board started the White Elephant Sale over sixty years ago. The annual event is not-to-be-missed.

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Community Celebration Lunar New Year

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.

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Community Celebration Día de los Muertos

In collaboration with OMCA’s Día de los Muertos Committee, we honor Day of the Dead every October and November.

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