OMCA is a museum, garden, and gathering place in the heart of Oakland that explores the big ideas that shape California lives.

Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the many stories that comprise California, bringing people together and inspiring greater understanding about what our state's art, history, and natural surroundings teach us about ourselves and each other. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA’s collections of art, history, and natural science bring to life first-person accounts and often untold narratives of California within 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus and gardens.

An abundance of interactive features in the galleries invite visitors to add their voices to the stories of California. Visitors will experience centuries of California history and people, generations of its art and artists, and millennia of natural science all in one place.

EVENT DETAILS:
Saturday, October 19, 2024 @ 12:15pm

Nestled in the 525-acre Knowland Park in the Oakland Hills, the zoo houses more than 850 native and exotic animals.

The exhibits are organized geographically and reflect the ecosystems of the animals' native habitats. Visitors can enjoy rotating cultural exhibits in the education center, and kids will love the new butterfly garden and the rides area, with a roller coaster, an endangered species carousel, and a train. A gondola ride with unparalleled views of the Bay Area will take you up the hill The California Trail, including native species such as the Grizzly Bears, Grey Wolves, Bison and more!

EVENT DETAILS:
Saturday, October 19, 2024 @ 12:15pm

Art and nature enthusiasts from all over the region will flock to Oakland's Lake Merritt to immerse themselves in the 13th Annual Autumn Lights Festival, a one-of-a-kind interactive art experience that is always the talk of the town.

We invite you to celebrate our 13th Annual festival in-person over three spectacular nights October 17-19, 2024. Prepare to be dazzled, mesmerized and amazed at this magical benefit for the non-profit Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt where you will experience 75 locally-produced illuminated art displays sparkling and beaming throughout Oakland’s beloved eight-acre municipal gardens.

EVENT DETAILS:
Friday, October 18, 2024 @ 5:15pm

On Friday nights, Oakland Museum of CA hosts Off-the-Grid Food Truck Night!

Enjoy live music, hands-on activities, and Off-the-Grid food trucks featuring native Bay Area food innovators offering one-of-a-kind local foods! Take advantage of late-night access to the museum galleries and special exhibitions, or bring a blanket and lounge in our garden, now open with direct access to Lake Merritt. We explore the big ideas that shape California lives, then bring to life the untold and under-told stories of the people behind them—all with a distinctly Oakland point of view. We are more than a museum. We’re a museum, garden, and gathering place.

EVENT DETAILS:
Friday, October 18, 2024 @ 5:15pm