Statement from Oakland Museum of California on Recent Theft at Off-Site Storage Facility
(Oakland, CA, October 31, 2025) — The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) has received an outpouring of concern and support following news of a theft that occurred at the Museum’s off-site storage facility on October 15, 2025. We are deeply grateful for our community’s solidarity as we work to address this serious loss.
On the early morning of Wednesday, October 15, a suspect or suspects broke into OMCA’s off-site storage facility and stole more than 1,000 items from the Museum’s collection, the majority consisting of historic memorabilia. Since discovering the theft, OMCA has been working closely with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the FBI Art Crime Team. With their approval, the Museum is now able to share additional information about the incident.
Based on current findings, investigators believe this was a crime of opportunity, not a targeted theft. There is no indication that the perpetrators specifically identified the facility as museum storage or sought particular artworks or artifacts. Instead, it appears they gained access and took items that were most easily available.
While every object in OMCA’s collection plays an important role in preserving the story of California and its people, the majority of stolen items consist of historic memorabilia such as political pins, award ribbons, and souvenir tokens. Additional stolen artifacts of particular sensitivity include six Native American baskets, several 19th-century scrimshaw objects, and a number of daguerreotypes and modernist metalwork jewelry pieces.
OMCA has received particular concern from the community regarding the stolen Native American baskets. The Museum works in close collaboration with Indigenous communities and Tribes from across California and is in direct communication with the culturally affiliated Tribe connected to these stolen items. The Tribe has requested that their name not be made public and that OMCA not publicly release further details about the baskets.
“This is a loss not only for OMCA, but for the broader community,” said Lori Fogarty, Executive Director and CEO, Oakland Museum of California. “The Museum takes its responsibility to steward California’s history and cultural legacy with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to recovering the stolen items and ensuring their continued care for future generations.”
The release of this information has been coordinated with law enforcement to ensure public assistance can be most effective. The investigation remains active, and OMCA continues to cooperate fully with OPD and the FBI.
Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department Burglary Section at (510) 238-3951, or the FBI Art Crime Team at Tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
CONTACT:
Alexxa Gotthardt | [email protected] | 330-472-3775
Autumn King | [email protected] | 510-213-3659
ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
Founded in 1969 as a “museum of the people,” the 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, 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. museumca.org
CURRENT SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
GOOD FIRE: TENDING NATIVE LANDS | Friday, November 7, 2025—Sunday, May 31, 2026
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 as not solely a destructive force, but as an essential tool for supporting healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities.
BLACK SPACES: RECLAIM & REMAIN | Friday, July 18, 2025—Sunday, 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.