This Friday Night at OMCA, Oakland-born vocalist and songwriter PHER brings his soulful sound to the Garden Stage with a powerful live performance. Blending contemporary R&B, jazz, and soul with heartfelt storytelling, the three-time Grammy-winning collaborator delivers an uplifting set of original music, reimagined classics, and joyful grooves that invite audiences to sing, reflect, and celebrate together.
Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture.
This Friday Night at OMCA comes alive with the vibrant sounds of West Africa as Bongo Sidibe & The TonTons take the Garden Stage for an electrifying live performance. Led by Guinean master drummer and educator Bongo Sidibe, the nine-piece ensemble blends traditional rhythms with Afrobeats, reggae, Hip-Hop, and contemporary influences, creating a joyful celebration filled with soaring percussion, powerful vocals, and plenty of opportunities for the audience to join in the fun.
Join Alicia Goode, Preparator Supervisor and Taxidermist, as she leads us on a tour of OMCA’s Gallery of California Natural Sciences. The tour will showcase the beautiful and intricate dioramas, along with other displays and specimens she has helped to design and create for the Museum. This is a unique experience to learn from a professional taxidermist and museum preparator who oversees the maintenance of the permanent natural science exhibits at OMCA.
After selling out venues across the country, the smash-hit, all-Native comedy show, Good Medicine, returns to OMCA for the fourth year for a night of live stand-up from the best and brightest Native comedians across North America. Hosted and produced by comedian Jackie Keliiaa (Netflix) this year’s showcase features Brian Bahe (CBS), Cheyenna Sapp (Acting Good), and Marc Yaffee (Showtime). Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts promptly at 7:30 pm.
You’re invited to the Member Opening for OMCA’s newest exhbition! Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory is 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.
Be among the first to experience BeHere/1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration—an immersive gallery installation and augmented reality (AR) experience by world-renowned media 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.
Calling all teachers! In celebration of our school communities, teachers and principals are invited to join us for OMCA’s Annual Fall Teacher Night.
Celebrate the opening week of BeHere/1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration this Friday Night at OMCA with an evening of music, culture, and community. The Garden Stage features two dynamic performances, beginning with Cal Raijin Taiko, whose original compositions blend the tradition of Japanese taiko drumming with contemporary influences. Following, Bay Area singer-songwriter Kiyomi brings her soulful alternative R&B sound to the stage, weaving rich harmonies, live looping, and heartfelt storytelling into an intimate performance that invites audiences to slow down and connect.
This month’s Spotlight Sundays highlights the story and spirit of Oakland as a nexus of community belonging and resilience in the face of rapid gentrification, themes central to Mildred Howard’s artwork and practice. We will screen the documentary Alice Street, directed by Spencer Wilkinson, which narrates how a neighborhood mural on 14th and Alice Street catalyzed a multiracial coalition to rally in protection of cultural arts and livability in Oakland.
Step into an evening of nostalgic rhythms, movement, and community connection this Friday Night at OMCA. The Garden Stage comes alive with Los Tranquilos, a California trio blending the romantic soul, psychedelia, and classic grooves of 1960s and ’70s Latin America. With soulful melodies, rock influences, and timeless rhythms, their performance celebrates the rich musical traditions that continue to inspire generations.
Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture.
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.
OMCA X Black Freedom Fund present Juneteenth! at the Museum—a vibrant, full-day celebration of Black culture, creativity, and community. Guests can expect a dynamic campus filled with live performances and DJ sets from boundary-pushing artists, delicious offerings from standout Bay Area Black chefs and food vendors, and hands-on activities that invite visitors of all ages to move, make, and connect in celebration of Black culture.
In collaboration with OMCA’s Día de los Muertos Committee, we honor Day of the Dead every October and November.