Oakland Museum of California Announces Events & Programs for May & June, 2017
(OAKLAND, CA) April 17, 2017—The Oakland Museum of California has a full lineup of events and special programs in May and June, including the Museum’s annual fundraiser—Ziggurat. Enjoy a variety of Oakland food, style, entertainment, art, and community for one night on June 10.
Join OMCA and the entire San Francisco Bay Area to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love during Friday Nights @ OMCA, including acoustic sing-alongs, political poster making, and other Summer of Love themed activities. Friday Nights @ OMCA is now open for one extra hour during the summer months and through October!
Catch a special outdoor screening of LIQUID FLOW on May 19, a film documenting the unique dance style of turfing. The crew featured in the film—the Turf Feinz—will perform after the screening, along with Grammy-nominated Los Rakas. For more details, visit museumca.org.
CALENDAR EDITOR PLEASE LIST:
FAMILY EVENTS; COMMUNITY EVENTS; ART EVENTS; FOOD EVENTS
Friday Nights @ OMCA Summer Season
Every Friday, 5–10 pm
May 5, 12, 19, 26
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Enjoy the best block party in the Bay with OMCA and Off the Grid, open for one hour longer starting in April! Savor California beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages around the Koi Pond at the Blue Oak beer garden. Enjoy half-price admission, live music, hands-on activities for kids, a pop-up art market in the Redwood Burl area, and extended OMCA Store hours. OMCA Gardens are open for picnics and the free Books & Blankets program. Bring friends and family for a taste of local music, food, and culture on 10th Street every Friday Night!
Summer of Love at Friday Nights @ OMCA
Every First Friday through August 2017
May 5 & June 2, 5–10 pm
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, the Friday Nights @ OMCA summer season will include programs reminiscent of this iconic time, when the San Francisco Bay area was the epicenter for likeminded musicians, artists, and social rebels. Family-friendly programming every first Friday April through August will include acoustic sing-alongs, face painting with Studio One in the Oak Street Plaza, and political poster-making with Candi Farlice.
First Sundays @ OMCA
Sunday, May 7 & Sunday, June 4
10 am–6 pm
Visit the Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences. Check out just-opened exhibitions Over the Top: Math Bass and the Imperial Court SF and Of Dogs and Other People: The Art of Roy De Forest. Don’t miss family-friendly exhibition Bees: Tiny Insect, Big Impact in the Gallery of California Natural Sciences. Check out the Architecture Tour at 1 pm, and the California Art Tour at 2 pm. Pick up a treat for yourself or a loved one in the OMCA Store. Enjoy a lunch or snack in Blue Oak café. Spend a day with us and find out why TripAdvisor reviewers call OMCA, “a hidden gem.” Suggested donation: $5 per person. Your contribution helps us provide access to other visitors in the community.
Tour | Architecture of the Museum
Sunday, May 7 & Sunday, June 4, 1 pm
Experience OMCA’s remarkable mid-century modernist landmark building with the guidance of the Museum’s expert members of the Council on Architecture. This tour shares with you just a few of the highlights of the incredible building, from views of Lake Merritt and downtown Oakland from atop a three-tiered roof garden to the serene Koi Pond, and a truly Californian indoor/outdoor design that still delights and attracts visitors today. Designed in 1969 by Kevin Roche, with landscaping by Dan Kiley, the Museum recently completed a major renovation and expansion project overseen by San Francisco-based firm Mark Cavagnero Associates, which honors Roche and Kiley’s original vision of a vibrant urban park and public space. Free as a part of First Sundays @ OMCA. Meet in front of the Ticketing Desk on Level 2.
OMCA Family | Pan for Gold!
Sunday, May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 1–4 pm
Discover what life was like during the California Gold Rush days. Come and try your hand at panning for real gold, Forty-Niner style, in the Museum gardens. Learn how to tell the difference between real gold and fool’s gold, and keep all you find! No reservations necessary. All ages welcome. Suggested program fee: $5; does not include Museum admission.
LIQUID FLOW at Friday Nights @ OMCA
Friday, May 19, 5–9 pm
During Friday Nights @ OMCA, don’t miss a special outdoor screening of LIQUID FLOW, a music-driven short film by YAKfilms documenting turfing, a unique dance style that originated in Oakland. Featuring the legendary crew Turf Feinz, the film highlights the dancers’ creativity and explores the journey of this dance phenomenon from the streets of Oakland to international renown and acclaim. Performances by the Turf Feinz and Grammy-award nominated Los Rakas—the highly-acclaimed Oakland-based rap duo—will follow the screening.
Bike Tour | Oakland on Two Wheels
Sunday, May 21, 10 am
Get the underground scoop on Oakland on OMCA’s first Bike Tour of 2017! On May 21, ride with Walk Oakland, Bike Oakland (WOBO) on a special tour focused on the punk rock scenes of The Town. Get into the history of anti-establishment Oakland, from DIY to music, art to activism, all on two wheels. This tour launches the 2017 season, featuring monthly bike tours on select Sundays offered by OMCA Docents, as well as a collaboration between OMCA and WOBO for tours in May and August. Tickets for this special tour with WOBO are $10. OMCA and WOBO Members ride for free. Pre-registration is required. Meet in front of the Museum’s Oak Street entrance at 10 am. Bring your own bikes, helmets, repair kits, and water.
Tours | LGBT History
Sunday, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 12 pm
In honor of Pride month, celebrate with a Docent Tour of the Galleries focused on LGBT history in California. Explore the legacy of early LGBT leaders in San Francisco such as José Sarria and recent Californian issues such as Proposition 8 and its overturning. LGBT History Tours are offered every Sunday at noon during the month of June. Free as a part of First Sundays @ OMCA.
OMCA Film | Ocean Film Festival Selected Shorts
Friday, June 9, 7–8:30 pm
In celebration of World Oceans Day, celebrated around the world every June 8, join a screening of selected short films from the 14th Annual San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival. Watch these brief environmentally-focused, fun short films focusing on a range of topics, and consider how you will take action for the future of our oceans. Included with Museum admission. No reservations necessary. All ages welcome. During Friday Nights @ OMCA, from 5 to 10 pm, admission is half-price for adults, free for ages 18 and under. Admission for Members is always free. Presented in collaboration with the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Ziggurat
Saturday, June 10, 6 pm
High-energy and hip to low-key and cool, Oakland’s style, food, art, entertainment and attitude fuse for one night at the Oakland Museum of California, when the community comes together to celebrate The Town. This unconventionally Oakland evening draws guests from high fashion to DIY glam and from street-dance inspiration to fine art. A party with a purpose, Ziggurat features specialty cocktails, a performance by Retro JukeBox Band, food by Barbara Llewellyn Catering, the premiere of a new digital artwork by world-renowned Oakland artist Chris Johnson, and one-of-a-kind auction items. The party continues into the night with a special “Best of Friday Nights @ OMCA” After Party featuring an open bar and performances by GIRL6 and Soul Mechanix, complete with a not-to-be-missed Prince tribute.
Staged throughout the expansive OMCA gardens, Ziggurat will be the place to be on June 10 with full evening tickets starting at $625, lounges starting at $5,000 and After Party tickets at just $75. Proceeds support OMCA’s innovative programs that have impacts on more than 320,000 families, children, and adults each year. For information and tickets visit museumca.org/ziggurat.
Ziggurat After Party
Saturday, June 10, 9 pm–Until
OMCA’s Ziggurat After Party is a party with a twist, featuring a special “Best of Friday Nights @ OMCA” blow out celebrating that Oakland vibe. With open bar, late night bites, and performances by GIRL6 and Soul Mechanix, complete with a special Prince tribute, the After Party celebrates all things Oakland, and is rumored to be one of the hottest parties in The Town this summer. All proceeds benefit the Oakland Museum of California. For information and tickets visit museumca.org/ziggurat.
Bike Tour | Oakland on Two Wheels
Sunday, June 18, 10 am
Explore Oakland’s diverse and rich patchwork of neighborhoods by cycling through them with an experienced guide from OMCA. On select Sundays from May through October, OMCA Docents lead bike tours of this eclectic city. Free. Meet in front of the Museum’s Oak Street entrance at 10 am. Bring your own bikes, helmets, repair kits, and water.
ABOUT FRIDAY NIGHTS @ OMCA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) presents Friday Nights @ OMCA, a regular evening series every Friday from 5 to 10 pm, in partnership with Off the Grid: Lake Merritt @ OMCA—the first major food truck market in the East Bay. Friday Nights @ OMCA features extended Museum hours, in-gallery programming, a beer garden from Blue Oak café, live music, dancing, hands-on family activities, and more. Gallery admission is half-off for adults, free for ages 18 and under. Event parking in the Museum garage is $7. Presented in partnership with Off the Grid: Lake Merritt @ OMCA. Friday Nights @ OMCA is made possible in part by generous support from Bank of America, the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Koret Foundation. museumca.org/friday-nights-omca
ABOUT OMCA FAMILY
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to being a welcoming and lively place for multi-generational Bay Area families to visit, learn, and engage through OMCA Family, with art activities, storytelling, and hands-on, drop-in projects throughout the Museum. OMCA’s other family-friendly offerings include free Family Guides to the Galleries available at ticketing desks, free activity Books & Blankets available for check-out anytime the Museum is open, and three large annual festivals: Lunar New Year in February, the Summer Reading Celebration in August with the Oakland Public Library, and the Days of the Dead Celebration in October. Free admission for children provided by the Bernard Osher Foundation. The Lunar New Year Community Celebration is made possible in part by generous support from Macy’s and the Oakland Museum Women’s Board. museumca.org/family
ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for children 8 and under and Members. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking, with validation for Museum visitors, and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the new 1000 Oak Street main entrance. Regular hours are 11 am to 5 pm, Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am to 9 pm Fridays. museumca.org
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