Press Room

Welcome to the Oakland Museum of California’s Press Room, a resource for media professionals. Here you will find general information about OMCA, its transformation and reopening, as well as news releases for current and upcoming exhibitions, programs, and events.

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Press Releases

Oakland Museum of California Announces New Weekly Evening Program Series, Thursday After Hours At OMCA

December 14, 2023 (Oakland, CA) December 14, 2023 – Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is excited to announce Thursday After …

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Oakland Museum of California Host 23rd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration

January 19, 2024 (OAKLAND, CA) January 19, 2024— Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) welcomes the Year of the Dragon with …

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OMCA Announces Major Acquisition of Works from its Current Exhibition Featuring Artists with Developmental Disabilities

January 23, 2024 The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announced today its acquisition of over 70 individual artworks — including …

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OMCA Announces Public Programs and Events for March 2024

Oakland Museum of California Announces Public Programs and Events in March including the final stretch inaugural Thursday After Hours at …

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OMCA Announces Public Programs and Events for February 2024

January 12, 2024 Oakland Museum of California Announces Public Programs and Events in February including the continuation of Thursday After …

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OMCA in the news

A Dream No Longer Deferred

The Oakland Museum of California reopens to the public, following a $20 million renovation that aims to achieve its 1960s goal of being a center of access and refuge.

Wall Street Journal

Images of California’s History That Endure

OMCA’s new Dorothea Lange digital archive includes a selection of images from a huge trove of Ms. Lange’s work over decades. Her personal archive was gifted to the museum in 1965, the year she died.

The New York Times

Oakland Museum of California’s ‘Hella Feminist’ Exhibit Grieves, Celebrates, and Provokes

In a world where the meaning of “feminism” is increasingly being questioned by those on both the right and the left, thoughtful contemplative examinations of its history and future can be hard to find. But the Oakland Museum of California’s “Hella Feminist” exhibition does just that.

Ms. Magazine

Oakland Museum reopens, debuts refreshed garden project by Mark Cavagnero and Walter Hood

When the Oakland Museum reopens to the public Friday, June 18, after closing for 15 months during the pandemic, it will debut the latest phase in its multiyear refresh project — this time, work focused primarily on the gardens and outdoor spaces.

San Francisco Chronicle

Edith Heath, the rebel ceramist and ‘alchemist’ who redefined the modern home

A retrospective of the groundbreaking artist’s work celebrates her love of ceramic chemistry and material exploration

The Guardian

Our Museum Is Considered a Leader in Equity and Inclusion. Here’s What We’ve Done—and Why We Have a Long, Long Way to Go

The director of the Oakland Museum of California lays out her museum’s decades-long journey toward building a more equitable institution.

artnet

Oakland’s ‘museum of the people’ launches $85m capital campaign

Renovation aims to reflect the demographic diversity of the birthplace of the Black Panthers

The Art Newspaper

Oakland Museum’s “Hella Feminist” Asks Visitors to Challenge, and Expand, Meaning of Feminism

Through the works of contemporary artists responding to our current moment and an examination of historical items from the museum’s archive, [Hella Feminist] challenges visitors to interrogate the history and our concepts of feminism. Forum talks with the museum curators about the exhibit and what feminism means in this moment.

KQED

Anti-Racist by Design: How the Oakland Museum of California Is Building Equity into Its Practices

At the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism are commitments that have long been a part of our DNA, both internally and in our work with our community, partners, and other cultural institutions.

American Alliance of Museums

OMCA’s ‘Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism’ is a story of survival

The Oakland museum’s latest exhibit melds historical and current works by Black artists into a tapestry of color and sound.

The Oaklandside

Fast Facts

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OMCA

Download our Fact Sheet for everything you need to know about OMCA.

IMage & Photo Policies

Photography Policy at OMCA

Visitors to the Oakland Museum of California are encouraged to capture and share still photography for personal, noncommercial use. Only handheld cameras with attached standard flash equipment are allowed. No auxiliary flash, lighting equipment, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, or drones are permitted.

Please be aware that some special exhibitions, galleries, and individual artworks may have restrictions on photography due to loan and copyright requirements. Any photography restrictions will be clearly marked. Please abide by all signage regarding photography.

Please be respectful of other visitors while taking photographs. The Oakland Museum of California is not responsible for any uses that infringe upon third-party copyrights.

News Media Policy at OMCA

All organized photo and video shoots inside the Museum galleries and on the grounds require advance permission and an escort from the Communications Department. Members of the media that have the need for interviews or have equipment such as tripods, monopods, or lighting fit this category. Please call to schedule your visit to ensure a Communications staff member is available. Unscheduled photo shoots that cannot be staffed will need to be declined or rescheduled.

Members of the media that do not have a need for interviews or a photo shoot and are visiting OMCA to research a story or review are welcome to check in at ticketing upon arrival without advance permission, although advance contact with OMCA’s Communications Department is recommended so that we can support having the necessary press kit and materials for your visit.

High Resolution Images for Press/Media

Members of the news media interested in images for publication can access OMCA’s high resolution image library below. If the available images do not suit your specific story needs, please send an email photo request to [email protected].

Commercial Photography & Videography

Commercial photography is prohibited unless approved in advance. All photographers and videographers must receive written permission in advance. Please contact [email protected].

Photographs and film/video footage taken at OMCA may only be used for news reporting, feature stories, and editorial reviews—and only if proper credit is given as to the source (if applicable). Photographs and film/video footage cannot be sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed, or otherwise commercially exploited in any manner whatsoever.

Rights and Reproductions

To request image rights and digital files for publication and other commercial uses, contact OMCA’s Rights and Reproductions staff at [email protected]. Visit the link for more information about Rights and Reproductions services.