OMCA Announces Public Programs and Events for 一月 2026

12月 9, 2025

OMCA Presents the Return of ThursDates, Member Nature Walk with Curator Ryder Diaz, Spotlight 星期日 on Radical Public Imagining, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces its schedule of public programs for 一月 2026, inviting visitors to embrace the new year with creativity, connection, and community. This month marks the return of ThursDates at OMCA, OMCA’s weekly after-hours series featuring intimate performances, live figure drawing, game nights, and DJ sets designed for adults looking to unwind, connect, and explore. 一月 also offers special opportunities including a Member nature walk led by OMCA Natural Science Curator Ryder Diaz, and a powerful Spotlight Sundays program created in partnership with the Othering & Belonging Institute, exploring radical public imagining through talks, performance, and collaboration. See the full calendar below or at www.museumca.org.

OMCA PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR JANUARY 2026

ThursDates at OMCA Returns for the 2026 Season!

Every 星期四, 一月 8–三月 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 星期四, 一月 through 三月, 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.

星期四, 一月 8 | 5-8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing and Experimental Dance ft. Paz Hidalgo and Quinn, Mahjong Game Night, DJ Set by China G, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is excited to invite guests to settle into the warm, after-hours glow of the 2026 ThursDates season. With a signature cocktail and laid-back beats, this 星期四 cultivates the kind of unhurried energy that allows connection and creativity to flourish. DJ China G will set a groove-worthy atmosphere in Town Fare for a Mahjong (麻将) game night, all while Sketchboard Co. hosts enchanting unrestricted live figure drawing sessions in the Gallery of California Art. Models Paz Hidalgo and Quinn animate each session, bringing gentle butoh dance and experimental movements to their poses.

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 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.

星期四, 一月 15 | 5-8 pm

Pop-Up Performance with Diana Gameros ft. Patrick Wolff, Black Vines Wine Tasting, Music set from DJ Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) invites visitors to slip into the easy cadence of ThursDates with an evening that blends music, flavor, and community. The evening launches with a curated tasting from Black Vines*, featuring wines crafted by Black-owned wineries, paired with tasty bites from Town Fare. As guests wander, DJ Mark DiVita sets a smooth, soulful backdrop that gently fills Town Fair. Later, guests can expect to settle in for an intimate set by acclaimed singer-songwriter Diana Gameros, joined by Patrick Wolff on clarinet and saxophone, offering reflective melodies rooted in stories of home and belonging.

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. It’s a night designed for lingering conversations, quiet discoveries, and the pleasure of experiencing art, music, and culture at your own pace.

* Separate on-site ticket purchase from Black Vines required to participate

星期四, 一月 22 | 5-8 pm

Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing, Trivia Night, 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 星期四, 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.

星期四, 一月 29 | 5-8 pm

Pop-Up Performance with Mia Pixley, Finger-Knitting Crochet Jam with Ramekon O’Arwisters, Music Set by DJ Mark DiVita, and Gallery Chats

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) hosts an easeful evening of creativity and connection at ThursDates, where music, movement, and hands-on art come together in the warm after-hours feel of the Museum. At the top of the evening, Crochet Jam, a relaxed, no-rules finger-knitting experience rooted in African-American weaving traditions, invites guests to weave, chat, and unwind at their own pace. In the same gallery, Mia Pixley will set the tone as her cello, voice, and spoken word combine classical and experimental influences to create stirring, transformative melodies. All the while, DJ Mark DiVita fills Town Fare with eclectic beats, setting a vibrant and inviting atmosphere with cocktails, bites, and mingling among new friends or old.

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. This is a night made for lingering, discovering, and celebrating creativity, community, and culture in every form.

Member Tours at OMCA

Curator Walkthrough: Nature Walk with OMCA Natural Science Curator, Ryder Diaz
星期六, 一月 10, 2026 | 12-1 pm | OMCA Garden/Gallery of Natural Science

This month’s installment of Member Tours at OMCA calls on nature lovers (and the nature-curious) to wear their walking shoes and come ready to explore the wonders of Oakland’s natural history. The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) invites guests to join a special nature walk led by OMCA’s Curator of Natural Science, Ryder Diaz.

The tour will begin at the Mid Level ticketing desk and then will move through the OMCA Garden to learn more about the habitat in our own backyard. Next, Ryder will lead the group out of our 12th Street entrance to learn more about the natural history of Lake Merritt and its surrounding creeks. While staying within the vicinity of the Museum, the group will be prompted to notice the various birds and critters along the way! The walk will conclude back at OMCA’s Gallery of California Natural Sciences with a chance to reflect on what visitors saw during the tour. The Museum invites visitors to a fun and engaging way to connect with each other and our surroundings!

*Please note that tour spots are limited and that a small number of binoculars will be available (first come, first served). In the event of rain, this program will be rescheduled.

Spotlight Sundays: Community Conversations in Radical Public Imagining

星期日, 一月 18, 2026 | 1–4 pm | James Moore Theater | Sliding Scale $1-$30

OMCA’s Spotlight Sundays is excited to continue its Community Conversations series. In partnership with The Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI), this annual series creates a space to foster public dialogue, deepen understanding, and cultivate connection around emerging community topics.

The year’s installment will explore radical public imagining. In alignment with OMCA’s special exhibition, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain, project partners will include Dominique Walker and Alia Phelps of Moms4Housing, Brandi T. Summers of Archive of Urban Futures, and 6月 Grant of blink!LAB architecture. Through performance, interactive engagement, movement, and conversation, this immersive experience will examine what it means to build our muscles for audacious dreaming during difficult times. Please join us for this fun and inspiring event!

This program will be held in four acts, each including a TED-style talk followed by audience engagement. The schedule will follow a narrative arc, so arrive on time so you don’t miss out!

ACT 1 | Personal Engagement – Dreaming

ACT 2 | Civic Engagement – Agitating

BREAK

ACT 3 | Imagining Spaces – Transforming

ACT 4 | Archiving Futures – Remaining

This program is a part of our exhibition programming for Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain on view through 三月 1, 2026.

OMCA 画廊聊天室

Saturdays, 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 星期六 from 1–3 pm and during 星期五 Nights (四月-Oct) & ThursDates (Jan-三月) 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 星期六 of the month from noon to 1 pm.

OMCA的第一个星期天

First 星期日 of each month

Every first 星期日 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 建筑漫步与座谈

每月第一个星期日下午 1 时

在建筑委员会成员的陪同下，漫步参观奥马华协会的地标建筑和花园，并在对奥马华协会和奥克兰充满热情的导游带领下，了解这座获奖建筑的历史、设计和演变。

无需预约或购票。漫步和讲座从半山售票处附近开始，持续约一小时。

如果您想参观 OMCA 的画廊或特别展览，请提前在网上购票，或在参观当天到售票处购票。

即将到来的

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

星期六, 2月 21, 2026 | 11 am–4 pm | OMCA Campus

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes guests to their 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration. This annual tradition celebrates and honors Lunar New Year traditions through family-friendly storytelling, performances, activities, and more. The Museum invites attendees to come together to uplift AAPI communities and explore the shared connections between Asian cultures of the Bay Area.

The Museum is ready to gallop into the Year of the Horse together in community. 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.

将为 OMCA 花园舞台提供 ASL 翻译。

Closing of Black Spaces: Reclaim and Remain

星期日, 三月 1, 2026 | Great Hall

This 2月 2026 is the final opportunity for guests to view Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) before it closes on 三月 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 6月 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.

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Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain
Great Hall | 七月 18, 2025– 三月 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 from the OMCA permanent collection, local repositories, and three newly commissioned installations by artist Adrian Burrell, architect 6月 Grant with blinkLAB architecture, the Archive of Urban Futures, and Moms 4 Housing. These works 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.

Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar’s Photographs of Native California
Great Hall | Closing 七月 13, 2025

Experience the diverse voices of California’s Indigenous peoples as they shape the present and future through the lens of celebrated Native photographer Dugan Aguilar. Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar’s Photographs of Native California offers guests a first look at a significant collection that highlights Indigenous endurance and explores the vivid tapestry of contemporary Native California life. Aguilar’s work, spanning from 1982 till his death in 2018, defies colonial narratives and captures instead an unwavering Indigenous presence and dynamic cultural practices. His powerful images document a rich array of Indigenous people and experiences, from the breathtaking California landscapes to gatherings, ceremonies, Native war veterans, and the artistry of basket weaving.

This collection honors and showcases moments of profound cultural significance and weaves together the stories of resilience and unyielding vitality that define contemporary Native life. More than simple documents, his photographs radiate a sense of quiet but determined celebration and resistance. Drawing from Aguilar’s extensive photographic archive, gifted to OMCA by his family in 2021, the exhibition brings these images to life through video, audio, and narratives from Indigenous artists, activists, elders, and community members.

Ancestral Visions: An Installation by Chelsea Ryoko Wong, OMCA Artist-In-Residence
Gallery of California Art | 2月 7, 2025–2月 1, 2026

Fashion, family histories, and personal identity intersect in a new installation at OMCA 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.

Visitors to the installation are invited into the world of the dresses and the women who wore them to ponder history, the value of what we wear to future generations, and the role of clothing as an expression of identity. Dresses that belonged to Rose Setzo, Sophia Chang Wong, Grace Dea, Lei Kim Lim, Chop Chin Chum, and Sun Fung Lee Wong caught Wong’s eye and are re-envisioned in the abstract narratives of her vibrant work.

This installation is made possible by the Harker Fund Artist Residency Program.

Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic
Gallery of California Natural Sciences Corridor | 四月 4, 2025–12月 7, 2025

Opening 四月 4, 2025 alongside the seasonal return of 星期五 Nights at OMCA, Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) celebrates Fairyland’s rich history and impact on Oakland’s cultural landscape with Fairyland @ 75: A Legacy of Magic. The 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.

Students on Strike Gallery of California History
Gallery of California History | 四月 9, 2024—5月 31, 2026

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.

Visitors will be presented with an opportunity to integrate local historical context with the groundbreaking events happening in today’s news and contemplate the existing parallels. Students on Strike will be on view starting 四月 9, 2025.

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

Little learners can unleash their curiosity and imagination in the newly created 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 to build community with other families.

You Are Here: California Stories on the Map
Gallery of California Natural Sciences | On view until 6月 26, 2026

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
Gallery of California History | Ongoing

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 role in this national story, and the impacts this history continues to have today.

Question Bridge: Black Males
Gallery of California Art | Ongoing

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 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
Gallery of California Art | Ongoing

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. museumca.org