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You Are Here: California Stories on the Map

On view through 2026 | Gallery of California Natural Sciences

We all use maps in our everyday lives—to navigate public transportation, find places to eat, and visualize big data like weather patterns or political opinions. But have you ever considered the deeper stories maps tell us? In You Are Here: California Stories on the Map, you’ll discover there’s more to maps than meets the eye. Showcasing a diverse range of maps from Oakland, the Bay Area, and California—from environmental surroundings and health conditions to community perspectives and creative artworks—experience how maps can be a powerful tool to share unique points of view and imagine a better future. Explore new perspectives of familiar places through maps made by the community, and mark your own stories on the community map inside the exhibition.

Highlights

You Are Here teaches visitors to read a map in the same way a student is taught to read a book: carefully, critically and with an attention to its creator.

-SF Examiner

You Are Here: California Stories on the Map, a new exhibit that just opened at Oakland Museum of California, wants people to think critically about who makes the maps they see and what story they’re trying to tell.

-Next City

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Sponsors

This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit calhum.org.