OMCA Announces Public Programs and Events for March 2026

OMCA Celebrates the Final Weeks of ThursDates, Honors Trans Ancestors, and Marks Women’s History Month

February 12, 2026

(Oakland, CA) February 12, 2025 – The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces its schedule of public programs for March 2026, inviting visitors to come together through a dynamic lineup of after-hours experiences, talks, workshops, and member programs. March marks the final month of ThursDates at OMCA for the 2026 season, featuring weekly after-hours gatherings with live figure drawing, pop-up talks and performances, trivia, writing workshops, open mics, DJ sets, and Gallery Chats designed for adults to connect and unwind. The month also includes a Spotlight Sundays program honoring Trans Day of Visibility through an exploration of trans ancestors in history and creative practice, alongside a Women’s History Month Artwalk for OMCA Members highlighting the work and legacies of women artists in the Gallery of California Art. As ThursDates culminates with an inspiring final lineup, Friday Nights at OMCA prepares to return in April. See the full calendar below or at www.museumca.org.

OMCA PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR MARCH 2026

ThursDates at OMCA Concludes for the 2026 Season!

Every Thursday through March 26 | 5–8 pm | OMCA Campus

This March is the final opportunity in 2026 to enjoy the warm after-hours glow of ThursDates at OMCA—Oakland’s most creative night out. The Museum welcomes guests into its warm after-hours glow for an evening of rotating intimate 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. And as ThursDates culminates with an incredible lineup, Friday Nights at OMCA is cued up to make its big return in April!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.

Major support for ThursDates at OMCA is provided by The Oakland Museum Women’s Board.

Thursday, March 5 | 5–8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Burlesque and Drag Performances, Mahjong with The Mahjong Project, Music Set by DJ Lady Ryan, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to relax into the easy, after-hours pulse of ThursDates at OMCA. This Thursday, Town Fare becomes a gathering point with signature cocktails and mahjong with The Mahjong Project. As visitors play, DJ Lady Ryan provides the perfect soundscape for mingling. All the while, Sketchboard Co. hosts uninstructed live figure drawing in the Gallery of California Art with a twist that’s sure to inspire. Models Nella and Q punctuate the drawing sessions with burlesque and drag performances, infusing the Museum with movement, expression, and a celebratory sense of Bay Area creativity.

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, March 12 | 5–8 pm

Good Fire: Tending Native Lands In-Gallery Pop-up series ft. Jessa Calderon, Tiśina Ta-till-ium Parker, Saif Azzuz, Alice Lincoln-Cook, and Dr. Brittani Orona; Music from WELIVEINPARADISE; Pop-up Market ft. Ihoo Taloowa Beads; and Gallery Chats

This Thursday, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) invites guests to experience the latest exhibition Good Fire: Tending Native Lands through a series of intimate, in-gallery pop-up talks and performances. The evening opens with a musical set by Tongva, Chumash, and Yoeme artist Jessa Calderon, whose songs and poetry channel Indigenous resilience and community healing. Interwoven between performances, experience pop-up talks and demos with regalia maker Tiśina Ta-till-ium Parker, artist Saif Azzuz, and basketry and cultural fire specialists Alice Lincoln-Cook and Dr. Brittani Orona, each offering hands-on insights into art, land stewardship, and ancestral practices.

Outside the gallery, Town Fare becomes a hub for immersive sound with WELIVEINPARADISE, blending live electronics and ambient textures, while Ihoo Taloowa Beads offers handcrafted adornments rooted in Chickasaw traditions and the stories of the land. Throughout the evening, guests can sip cocktails, enjoy bites, and let the music guide them through an unhurried exploration of creativity, culture, and connection.

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, creating, lingering, and connecting.

Thursday, March 19 | 5–8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Burlesque Performances, Trivia Night: Stories of Resilience, DJ Set by Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes visitors to step into the easy and connective pace of ThursDates at OMCA. In Town Fare, DJ Mark DiVita sets the atmosphere with incredible grooves perfect for cocktails and conversation. Guests are invited to test their wits with Trivia Night: Stories of Resilience, celebrating creativity, community, and unexpected insights.

Meanwhile, the Gallery of California History comes alive with Sketchboard Co.’s uninstructed live figure drawing sessions, where models Andy Rose and Kitty KaPowww will interweave spellbinding burlesque performances between poses.

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. With music, drinks, and a relaxed after-hours atmosphere, it’s an evening designed for learning, laughter, and basking in good company.

Thursday, March 26 | 5–8 pm

OMCA and The Bay Area Book Festival Present: Maw Shein Win ft. Live Music Performance by SPRINGTWIN, Free-Writing Workshop, and Open Mic Art; Plus 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. The Museum and the Bay Area Book Festival team up this Thursday to present Maw Shein Win, Burmese American poet and inaugural poet laureate of El Cerrito, for a collaborative program that moves through the Museum. The evening begins with a performance by SPRINGTWIN (Win and guitarist Danny Allen), followed by a drop-in writing workshop in the Gallery of California History, inviting guests to reflect on personal and collective histories through free-writing exercises. The program culminates in Town Fare with an open mic, where participants can share their writings while enjoying cocktails and bites. All the while, DJ La Femme Papi provides soulful, expansive music throughout the evening, creating a warm and immersive soundtrack for the night.

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 celebrating creativity, community, and culture in every form.

Spotlight Sundays: Trans Ancestors in History and Creative Practice

Sunday, March 15, 2026
Presentation | 1–2 pm | Lecture Hall
Workshops | 2–4 pm | California Room & Learning Center
Sliding Scale $1–$30

During the month of Trans Day of Visibility, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to join a creative exploration of trans ancestors and their indelible legacies of resistance. Community historian Andrea Horne will give a talk about her life’s work unearthing histories of Black trans luminaries. Visitors will learn about her groundbreaking research that confronts a limited written record and unveils stories—from the fantastic to the everyday—of how Black trans women changed the world. This talk is open to all, and tickets are required.

Following the talk, two intimate creative workshops will draw inspiration from the lives and legacies of trans ancestors. Queer Ancestors Project teaching artists Mason J. and Ajuan Mance will facilitate the simultaneous workshops—writing and comix, respectively—guiding participants in exploring stories of trans ancestors central to their personal, collective, and political lineages. Come create with community and deepen connection to shared histories as we cultivate liberatory visions of trans futures. Materials provided. The workshops prioritize trans and genderqueer people and capacity is limited. Tickets are required and also include admission to the talk.

Andrea Horne’s work is funded in part by the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Member Tours at OMCA

Women’s History Month Artwalk with Avril Angevine
Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 12–1 pm | Gallery of California Art

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes its Members this Women’s History Month to a woman-focused walk-through of the Gallery of California Art. Members can join Gallery Chats Facilitator Avril Angevine as she pulls back the curtain on the lives and practices of some of California’s best—and least—known women artists, from Hung Liu and Sonia Getchoff to Viola Frey and Carmen Lomas Garza.

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.

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.

UPCOMING

Return of Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid

April–October, 2026 | 5 pm–9 pm | OMCA Campus

Friday nights come alive again at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)! After a seasonal pause, the Museum’s signature family-friendly gathering returns as a free weekly celebration of music, creativity, and community. OMCA welcomes visitors to enjoy immersive live performances on the OMCA Garden Stage, iconic DJ sets, welcoming dance lessons, Off the Grid food trucks, and so much more! Then explore the galleries during extended evening hours or unwind in OMCA’s iconic garden with a blanket and beautiful views of Lake Merritt.

OMCA’s Latest Special Exhibition | Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory

Friday June 12, 2026–Sunday, October 11, 2026 | Great Hall

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to step into the vibrant world of Mildred Howard—one of the Bay Area’s most influential living artists. Featuring five decades of groundbreaking work and new installations debuting at OMCA, Poetics of Memory explores themes of memory, identity, and the histories that surround us. Experience an exhibition rooted in the stories of the East Bay, and discover the histories that connect us all.

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.