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Events

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Upcoming Events

Friday Nights at OMCA | Awesöme Orchestra with Kishi Bashi & K-Pop Dance Lesson with Robin Lee of Groobeu

OMCA campus

Join OMCA this Friday night as we host Awesöme Orchestra and 100+ musicians for an evening filled with internationally acclaimed guest artists and local composers! Bringing music out of the concert hall and into the wider Bay Area community parks, streets and rock venues, Awesöme Orchestra takes film and video game scores and brings them to life. Both a performance and an invitation, the Awesöme Orchestra invites you to their website for info about how to participate. This Friday Nights at OMCA further invites you into the performance with K-Pop Dance Lessons with Groobeu & Robin Lee as they teach one of NewJeans’ choreography to one of their most popular songs, “Hype Boy!” This will be a supportive space as they walk through each movement, try the choreo many times, and split into smaller groups to give everyone a chance to showcase their new moves!

Free
Event Series Spotlight Sundays

Spotlight Sundays: Puri Arts & ARU Present: Ritual on the Road

OMCA Garden 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, United States

We are excited to welcome Oakland based artist Dohee Lee Puri Arts (DLPA) for their Ritual on the Road series. Join us for a powerful offering in OMCA’s beautiful Garden that will center the healing rituals of Korean indigenous practices from Jeju Island, Korea, where Lee was born and trained. Using visual art and traditional instrumental soundscapes, this interactive performance will be rooted in deep engagement with the Asian Diaspora immigrant refugees community represented by Asian Refugees United (ARU) and in educational collaboration with indigenous partners around loss, harm, and resilience of ancestral and homelands.

Free

Friday Nights at OMCA |  Carnival Takeover w/ MasFX and VibeHauss

OMCA campus

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. 

Free

Gathering in the Garden

Act fast—get your tickets today! Join us on June 1 as comedian W. Kamau Bell and artists Rafael Casal and Faviana Rodriquez take to the OMCA Garden stage to discuss Oakland’s legacy and future as a hub for filmmaking. The program will be followed by a celebratory reception featuring music and complimentary light bites and libations. Show up in your finest for a sensational evening to support the Oakland Museum of California!

Sliding scale

First Sundays | June 2

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.

Free

Arts Education Curriculum Slam

OMCA Lecture Hall 1000 Oak, Oakland, California

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.

Free for teachers

Ongoing & Annual 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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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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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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Gallery Events Group Chats

Knowledgeable facilitators share insights and help make meaning with your group in OMCA’s galleries.

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