Gallery Chats at OMCA
OMCA campusJoin us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Admission ticket required
Events
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Upcoming Events
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Spotlight Sundays: Puri Arts & ARU Present: Ritual on the Road
OMCA Garden 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, United StatesWe 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 | Bolo Music Group Presents Live Music by Ruby Ibarra & Ian Santillano
OMCA campusFriday 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.
Free
Gallery Chats at OMCA
OMCA campusJoin us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Admission ticket required
Friday Nights at OMCA | Carnival Takeover w/ MasFX and VibeHauss
OMCA campusFriday 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
Gallery Chats at OMCA
OMCA campusJoin us for Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Admission ticket required
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!
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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
OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk
OMCA campusWalk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture.
Free
Arts Education Curriculum Slam
OMCA Lecture Hall 1000 Oak, Oakland, CaliforniaThe 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
Friday Nights at OMCA | Krudas Cubensi & Drag Storytime with Per Sia
OMCA campusCome 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.
Free
Member Gallery Chats at OMCA
OMCA Gallery of California History 1000 Oak St, Oakland, California, United StatesJoin us for Member Gallery Chats, an opportunity to chat with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable OMCA Facilitators.
Free for Members
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!
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.
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.
Third Sundays
Spotlight Sundays
Every third Sunday, OMCA invites visitors to Spotlight Sundays, a series of conversations, performances, and experiences that showcase California visionaries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gallery Events
Group Chats
Knowledgeable facilitators share insights and help make meaning with your group in OMCA’s galleries.