OMCA Announces Public Programs and Events for February 2026

January 14, 2026

OMCA Presents 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, the Final Weeks of Black Spaces, Hosts the Makers of Black Joy Parade, and Continues ThursDates

(Oakland, CA) January 13, 2025 – The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces its schedule of public programs for February 2026, inviting visitors to gather, create, and celebrate culture and community throughout the month. ThursDates at OMCA continues its winter season with weekly after-hours experiences featuring live figure drawing, game nights, hands-on workshops, pop-up talks, and DJ sets that transform the Museum into a welcoming space for adults to connect and unwind. February also marks the 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, welcoming the Year of the Horse with vibrant performances, family-friendly activities, and local food and artisan vendors, alongside a Spotlight Sundays program exploring the making of the Black Joy Parade and one of the final opportunities to experience Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain before it closes on March 1 and Ancestral Visions: An Installation by Chelsea Ryoko Wong before it closes February 1. See the full calendar below or at www.museumca.org.

OMCA PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY 2026

ThursDates at OMCA Returns for the 2026 Season!

Every Thursday, January 8–March 26 | 5–8 pm | OMCA Campus

This winter, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) hosts ThursDates at OMCA, Oakland’s most creative night out.

Every Thursday, January through March, OMCA welcomes guests into its warm after-hours glow for an evening of rotating performances, live figure drawing sessions, game nights, and more—designed just for adults. Visitors can expect signature cocktails and delicious bites inside Town Fare by Michele McQueen, all to a soundtrack of local Oakland artists and DJs.

Whether you’re exploring the Museum with a date, catching up with friends, or coming solo and looking to meet someone new, ThursDates at OMCA are serving connection, inspiration, and creative surprises, week after week.

OMCA also offers a $10 flat-rate parking in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm. Please note that outside alcohol is not permitted, and event details and performances are subject to change.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the OMCA website.

Thursday, February 5 | 5-8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing, Gold Beams Game Night, Music Set by DJ Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) invites guests to ease into the cozy, after-hours atmosphere of ThursDates at OMCA as Gold Beams—in partnership with The Black Neighborhood, Regulars Only, and Timothy B.—hosts Game Night. Known for cultivating warm, welcoming environments for Black creatives and the broader community, Gold Beams brings their signature mix-and-mingle approach to the Museum. Visitors are welcome to sip drinks and enjoy bites from Town Fare as OMCA takes on a softer nighttime glow.

Providing the soundtrack for the evening, DJ Mark DiVita spins soulful, vibrant selections that keep the mood unhurried and inviting. All the while, Sketchboard Co. carves out space for guests to tap into their creativity with uninstructed live figure drawing sessions in the Gallery of California Art.

We welcome all skill levels, including those who have never drawn before and want to try drawing. Art supplies and clipboards will be available for use, and your artwork will be yours to take home or exchange with others. Nude or partially clothed models representing the diversity of the Bay Area will be posing in the galleries for times ranging from 2 to 20 minutes. Since drawing will take place in the galleries, please be mindful of space and bring only the following media from home: sketchbooks (max size 9×12 inches) and pre-sharpened enclosed graphite, charcoal, or conté pencils.

Every ThursDates at OMCA, you can engage more deeply with the Museum’s galleries through Gallery Chats from 5:30–7:30 pm. Unlike traditional tours, these conversations invite you to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage with OMCA facilitators who blend content expertise with lived experience. Gallery Chats take place in all of our galleries—including our Special Exhibitions—and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission.

Thursday, February 12 | 5-8 pm

Photography Workshop and Scavenger Hunt with Black Film Guild, Game Night, Music set from DJ Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes visitors to step into a relaxed ThursDates evening where creativity, conversation, and community unfold throughout the Museum. Settle in for a unique in-gallery photography workshop led by director, photographer, and editor Walter Wallace, Executive Director of the Black Film Guild. Designed for photographers of all levels, the experience blends hands-on instruction* with guided exploration of OMCA’s photography collection—led by Gallery Chats Facilitator Avril Angevine—before closing with a playful photo scavenger hunt that invites collaboration and fresh perspective.

As the night unfolds, OMCA invites guests to enjoy table games, cocktails, and bites curated by Town Fare, while DJ Mark DiVita provides a smooth, soulful soundtrack that keeps the atmosphere warm and unrushed.

In addition, every ThursDates at OMCA offers a rich gallery experience with Gallery Chats from 5:30–7:30 pm. Unlike traditional tours, these conversations invite you to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage with OMCA facilitators who blend content expertise with lived experience. Gallery Chats take place in all of our galleries—including our Special Exhibitions—and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission. Join us for an evening made for learning, making, lingering, and connecting.

*While a limited number of cameras will be available, visitors are encouraged to bring their favorite photographic devices. iPhone camera instruction will also be provided.

Thursday, February 19 | 5-8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing, Trivia Night: Black History, DJ Set by Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to unwind in the gentle pulse of ThursDates with a signature cocktail and smooth beats from DJ Mark DiVita, setting the perfect backdrop for a relaxed evening of creativity and connection. This Thursday, make new connections with a “Spaces of Belonging” trivia night in Town Fare, while Sketchboard Co. hosts uninstructed live figure drawing sessions in the Gallery of California History.

In addition, every ThursDates at OMCA offers a rich gallery experience with Gallery Chats from 5:30–7:30 pm. Unlike traditional tours, these conversations invite you to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage with OMCA facilitators who blend content expertise with lived experience. Gallery Chats take place in our Special Exhibitions and our Galleries of California Art and History, and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission. A night of discovery, inspiration, and playful exploration awaits, inviting visitors to linger, spark a connection, and experience the Museum in a new, imaginative way.

Thursday, February 26 | 5-8 pm

Watermelon Couch Pop-Up Talk, Art Making w/ That Art Party, DJ Set by La Femme Papi, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to unwind into a reflective and creative ThursDates evening at OMCA. This Thursday OMCA offers the opportunity for guests to spend time with The Watermelon Couch, a traveling exhibition and interactive project that transforms lived experience into shared knowledge. Join creator James Shields alongside cooperative development leader Adrionna Fike for a thoughtful pop-up discussion that draws on years of stories gathered from Black farmers and communities across the country to explore themes of local agriculture, collective power, and sustainable futures.

In Town Fare, That Art Party invites BIPOC adults into a playful, pressure-free art experience rooted in joy, care, and creative release. Designed to loosen perfectionism and invite connection, the space encourages crafting simply for the pleasure of it. Throughout the evening, DJ La Femme Papi sets the tone with a warm, expansive soundscape that centers joy and healing, carrying through the galleries and creating room to linger, reflect, and connect.

In addition, every ThursDates at OMCA offers a rich gallery experience with Gallery Chats from 5:30–7:30 pm. Unlike traditional tours, these conversations invite you to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage with OMCA facilitators who blend content expertise with lived experience. Gallery Chats take place in all of our galleries—including our Special Exhibitions—and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission. This is a night made for lingering, discovering, and celebrating creativity, community, and culture in every form.

Closing of Ancestral Visions: An Installation by Chelsea Ryoko Wong

Sunday, February 1, 2026 | Gallery of California Art

Fashion, family histories, and personal identity intersect in this installation by Bay Area artist Chelsea Ryoko Wong. Wong’s energetic and colorful paintings, drawn from both real-life events and her imagination, depict busy, rhythmic scenes of people going about their daily lives. For this project, Wong’s paintings take inspiration from dresses owned by seven 20^th-century Chinese American women, whose clothing and legacies live on in OMCA’s collection. Ancestral Visions features paintings along with a selection of the fashions that inspired them.

25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Horse

Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 11 am–4 pm | OMCA Campus

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is fired up and ready to gallop into the Year of the Horse this February as it marks the 25th anniversary of OMCA’s Annual Lunar New Year Celebration! Guests can expect a full day of vibrant performances, family-friendly storytelling, hands-on activities, delicious food from local AAPI chefs, and opportunities to support AAPI artisans, all while basking in community connection.

As we come together to uplift AAPI communities across the Bay Area, the Museum is excited to welcome Oakland’s one and only seiji oda to the Garden Stage. Their signature ambient and mindful lofi- hyphy sound will fill the garden alongside several other performances spanning Korean, Pilipino, Vietnamese, and Chinese traditions. From wishing trees and zodiac quests to K-pop dance lessons and Gallery Chats, this milestone celebration invites visitors of all ages to connect, reflect, and welcome the Year of the Horse together.

Festival access starts at 11 am; activities and performances start at 12 pm. Parking is available in OMCA’s Oak Street Garage for a day rate of $10; overflow event parking is available at Alco Park (165 13th Street) for the day rate of $7. ASL Interpretation for OMCA Garden stage will be provided.

The 25th Annual Lunar New Year Community Celebration is made possible in part by generous support from the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.

Spotlight Sundays: Total Praise—The Making of the Black Joy Parade

Sunday, February 15, 2026 | 1–2:30 pm | James Moore Theater
Sliding Scale $1-$30

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is honored to welcome guests to join the creators of the Black Joy Parade for a thoughtful exploration of how the Black Church has served as both a space of resistance and celebration, and why the presence of the Black Joy Choir remains central to the parade’s spirit. The afternoon opens with a soul-stirring performance by the acclaimed Black Joy Choir, followed by a premiere screening of the documentary short Total Praise: The Blueprint Behind the Black Joy Parade.

Following the screening, attendees are invited to settle into a conversation with Black Joy Parade producers reflecting on legacy, community, and joy, featuring Head of Content Jacqwi Campbell, Activation Lead Demjuan Julian, Co-Founder and COO Amber Lester, and Gold Beams founder Tayleur Crenshaw as moderator.
This program is a part of our exhibition programming for Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain on view through March 1, 2026.

Closing of Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain

Sunday, March 1, 2026 | Great Hall

This February 2026 is the final opportunity for guests to view Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) before it closes on March 1, 2026.

Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain navigates the braided histories of displacement, resistance, and resilience within Black American communities in Oakland and the East Bay. Through new commissions in art, architecture, and archival research, the exhibition traces how these communities have creatively resisted dispossession and reimagined spaces of home and belonging.

Drawing inspiration from the legacies of West Oakland and Russell City, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain pulls both from the OMCA permanent collection and newly commissioned installations by artist Adrian Burrell; architect June Grant with blinkLAB architecture; and the Archive of Urban Futures and Moms 4 Housing. These installations reflect the ongoing struggle and success in reclaiming and reshaping self-determined spaces in the face of systemic violence, erasure, and urban renewal.Developed in collaboration with East Bay residents affected by displacement, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain invites reflection on the intersection of activism, memory, and the materiality of home. It is a meditation on how Black American communities, in spite of ongoing systemic oppression, conjure wells of creativity and resistance that carve out places to hold their histories and futures.

Major support for Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain is provided by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.

Gallery Chats at OMCA

First Sunday of each month atSaturdays, 1–3 pm | All Galleries
Thursdays, 5:30–7:30 pm | All Galleries

Gallery Chats at OMCA takes an informal approach to the traditional museum tour. Visitors are invited to chat, ask questions, and connect in the galleries with our OMCA facilitators, who combine content knowledge with lived experience to encourage meaningful dialogue and fresh interpretations of our Special Exhibitions.

Weekly Gallery Chats take place every Saturday from 1–3 pm and during Friday Nights (April-Oct) & ThursDates (Jan-March) from 5:30–7:30 pm in our Galleries of California Art, History, Natural Science, and the Great Hall. Gallery Chats are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission. No reservation necessary.

OMCA Members have access to special Gallery Chats Member Tours every second Saturday of the month from noon to 1 pm.

First Sundays at OMCA

First Sunday of each month

Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to the Oakland Museum of California’s (OMCA) 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!

In between exploring the galleries, OMCA invites guests to pick up some locally-made goods from the shop or relax outside in the Museum’s updated garden. Visitors are encouraged to reserve tickets online in advance to secure your preferred entry time and reduce wait time. Tickets are available at the admissions desk on a first-come, first-served basis.

OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk

First Sunday of each month at 1 pm

Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture, and learn about the history, design, and evolution of this award-winning structure with guides who are passionate about OMCA and Oakland.

No reservations or tickets are required. Walk and Talk begins near the Mid Level ticketing desk and lasts approximately one hour.

If you’d like to visit OMCA’s Galleries or Special Exhibitions, please purchase a ticket online in advance or at the ticketing desk on the day of your visit.

ALSO ON VIEW AT OMCA

Good Fire: Tending Native Lands
Through May 31, 2026 | Great Hall

Good Fire: Tending Native Lands explores how Native communities in Northern California have used controlled fire—also called “good fire” or “cultural burning”—to care for the land and sustain traditions for millennia. Organized in collaboration with Native Northern California fire practitioners, artists, ecologists, and cultural leaders, the exhibition reframes fire not only as a destructive force, but as an essential tool for supporting healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities. Good Fire: Tending Native Lands is ultimately a call to reimagine California’s relationship with fire, honoring Native sovereignty and building a future where fire once again sustains life.

Students on Strike Gallery
Through May 31, 2026 | Gallery of California History

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) presents Students on Strike, a new installation opening in the Gallery of California History. The installation explores the enduring legacy of student activism at San Francisco State University by comparing the 1968-1969 student strike that established the nation’s first Black Studies Department and first College of Ethnic Studies to the recent campus protests against the war in Gaza. Through historical and contemporary posters and photographs, the intimate feature shows how students have consistently demanded justice and accountability from institutions, then and now.

Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic
Ongoing | Gallery of California Natural Sciences Corridor

This collaborative installation invites visitors to learn more about Fairyland’s history, evolution, and enduring magic. Explore a timeline of Fairyland’s journey, a “then-and-now” look at its beloved park attractions, and a glimpse into the park’s bright future. Visitors will discover miniatures created by local artists, photos of Magic Keys through the decades, and even one of Fairyland’s original Jolly Trolly cars for kids and families to climb aboard. This feature celebrates Fairyland’s lasting legacy and role in shaping Oakland’s cultural landscape.

OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace
Ongoing | Gallery of California Natural Sciences

Little learners can unleash their curiosity and imagination in OMCA Kids: Nature Playspace. Located inside the Gallery of California Natural Sciences, the playspace is focused on the unique needs of children ages 2 to 5, along with their families and caregivers. Play is critical to every child’s healthy development and the playroom offers something for everyone—from building materials and nature-themed puzzles to hands-on activities that spark creativity, wonder, and joy. Our youngest museum visitors can also discover the animals that make their homes in Oakland’s streams, hills, and backyards. The playspace gives families a fun, safe place to play and build community with other families.

You Are Here: California Stories on the Map
Ongoing | 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.

Black Power
Ongoing | Gallery of California History

Uncover the history of the Black Power movements in California with a compelling addition to the Gallery of California History. In response to the widely popular 2016 exhibition All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50, Black Power illustrates the creative ways Black anti-racist activists in California supported their communities and challenged the U.S. government. Focusing on the example of the Black Panther Party, Black Power brings to light the tensions between a culturally and socially progressive California and examples of economic racism and oppression in the state. This moment in California history is represented through historic photographs, provocative objects, iconic posters, paintings, and interactive prompts that encourage visitors to take action out in the world. Learn more about the Bay Area’s role in this national story and the impacts this history continues to have today.

Question Bridge: Black Males
Ongoing | Gallery of California Art

Immerse yourself in intimate videos—woven together and arranged to simulate face-to-face conversations between participants—among a diverse group of over 160 Black men across the United States. Hear these men answer each other’s questions with exceptional honesty and vulnerability, and share stories, beliefs, and values in a personal portrayal of their lives. Encompassing themes of family, love, interracial relationships, community, education, and wisdom, Question Bridge: Black Males presents nuanced portraits of the past, present, and future of Black men in American society. Listen, watch, learn, and start your own conversations with this profoundly moving installation. Question Bridge is an innovative and widely exhibited video installation from artists Chris Johnson and Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with Bayeté Ross Smith and Kamal Sinclair.

Dorothea Lange: Photography As Activism
Ongoing | Gallery of California Art

Experience the iconic life and work of Dorothea Lange, world-renowned documentary photographer, with an expanded installation in the Gallery of California Art dedicated to her works. Through the lens of her camera, Lange documented American life with riveting photographs that captured some of the most powerful moments of the 20th century. Drawn from Lange’s personal archive, which was gifted to OMCA over 50 years ago, and in response to the popular 2017 exhibition Dorothea Lange: The Politics of Seeing, a number of newly added photographs illustrate the power of photography as social activism. See how Lange’s work continues to resonate with millions and inspire new generations of artists and activists.

Dorothea Lange Digital Archive
Explore prints, field notes, negatives, contact sheets, and more with OMCA’s Dorothea Lange Digital Archive.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
Founded in 1969 as a “museum of the people,” Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the diverse stories of California’s art, history, and natural environment. Through inclusive exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, OMCA creates space for meaningful dialogue and strives to build more equitable, empathetic, and connected communities. With more than 2 million objects, OMCA’s collection of art, history, and natural science is a resource for understanding California’s dynamic heritage—all within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus. A leading Bay Area cultural institution rooted in Oakland, OMCA is dedicated to fostering an environment where visitors from the region, state, and beyond feel valued and empowered to shape the future of California’s cultural landscape.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $19 general admission; $16 for seniors; and $12 for youth ages 12 to 17 as well as for students and educators with valid ID, and free for Members and children 12 and under. There is a $6 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions in the Great Hall. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. An accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum.