Learn

Visit OMCA in person for a guided gallery visit, performance, or self-guided field trip. Program sold out? We encourage you to join our waitlist.

Payment

Field trips scheduled using our online registration system require a credit card for payment. To pay by invoice, email [email protected] before registering.

Scholarships & Discounts

New this year! All programs and self-guided visits are free for Oakland Unified School District groups. Title I schools outside of OUSD receive a 50% discount during the school year.

Public transit and bus scholarships are available during the school year and can be requested during registration. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis throughout the year, with priority given to OUSD and Title I schools. 

OMCA offers a 30% discount for Oakland Unified School District groups during summer visits.

Cancellations & Rescheduling

If you need to reschedule or cancel your field trip, please contact [email protected] at least two weeks before your scheduled visit to receive a refund.

Walk-up Groups

We ask that all groups book in advance. Due to limited same-day availability, we may not be able to accommodate a walk-up group. Walk-up groups are required to pay the standard group rate in order to gain entry to the Museum, plus a $25 walk-up fee. No additional discounts are available for walk-up groups.

Waitlist

Join our 2025/26 school year waitlist if the program you are interested in is currently sold out. If a program spot opens up that matches your request, we’ll contact you to make your reservation. Please note there is no waitlist for summer visits.

Chaperones

The Museum requires these chaperone-to-student ratios through grade 12:

1:10 minimum
1:4 maximum
1:6 in the OMCA Store

A maximum of 10 chaperones are allowed per reservation. Please note, if the ratio of adult chaperones to students exceeds 1:4, there will be a charge of $9.50 per additional adult.

School Group Entrance

The OMCA School Group Entrance is located in the Amphitheater on 10th Street, at the intersection with Fallon Street.

Transportation & Parking

We encourage groups to take public transportation when possible. We are located one block from the Lake Merritt BART Station and a 15-minute walk from 12th Street BART Station. Check out BART’s field trip discounts. Buses may drop off at the School Group Entrance on 10th Street. The Museum parking garage may be full at times. If you drive, please allow extra time for parking. Learn more.

Lunch & Backpack Storage

Please leave student backpacks at school or on the bus. A limited number of first-come, first-served lockers are located outside of the Gallery of California History, and cannot be guaranteed available. Please do not bring valuables to the Museum. Adults with backpacks must hand-carry them at their side or front while in the galleries. Lunches can be stored at OMCA’s School Group Entrance during your visit. Bag lunches can be eaten in the OMCA garden or at the picnic tables near the Koi Pond, but are not allowed in the Town Fare by Michele McQueen or at the tables on the cafe terrace.

Accessibility

OMCA is committed to accessibility for all. Guests using wheelchairs should enter at the Oak Street Plaza entrance, which is accessible by ramp from the sidewalk on Oak Street. Inside the museum, an elevator allows access to all three levels. A limited number of wheelchairs and assistive listening devices are available for loan onsite. Please reserve at least three weeks in advance and email [email protected] if you would like a program adapted to the needs of your group. Learn more.

Museum Guidelines

Please review the Museum’s rules ahead of time with students and chaperones. Learn more.

Explore OMCA

While you’re at OMCA, be sure to check out our Gallery of California Art, Gallery of California History, Gallery of California Natural Sciences, and Garden. Please note that the OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace was designed for children ages 2 to 5. We ask that K–12 school groups refrain from entering this area. Learn more.

Questions?

Contact us at [email protected].

Partner with fellow teachers and OMCA staff to build and prototype new learning experiences for your students. This year’s fellowship will focus on art as a tool for social and political engagement for individuals and communities, for grades 3–5. The fellowship kicks off with Teacher Summer Camp, when participants spend 5 days on OMCA’s campus. Start the week by exploring and finding inspiration in the exhibits and galleries during special tours and gallery talks. During the second half of the week, partner with peers and OMCA staff to imagine and build inquiry-based curricula that explore important questions and empower student voices. 

Check back in winter 2025 for details about the 2026 Fellowship. Stay up-to-date through our teacher mailing list.

School programs are made possible in part by generous support from the Oakland Women’s Board, Kaiser Permanente, Koret Foundation, and PG&E.

Additional support is provided by the Banks Family Foundation, Dodge & Cox, Daryl Lillie Fund for Oakland Students, the Joseph and Mercedes McMicking Foundation, Port of Oakland, the Nora Eccles Treadwell Foundation, and Matson Navigation Company.