Oakland Museum of California

This was an amazing experience! Maybe the most impressive museum in the Bay Area! Starting from the basement floor there is a wonderful Natural History Museum with a GIGANTIC topographical map of California which I would have marveled over for hours if my friends hadn't dragged me away. 2nd level was the Anthropological History Exhibition 3rd Was one of the most enjoyable and least pretentious Art Galleria that I've ever experienced! Lastly, it had a wonderful California Native Flora Garden ^÷^~

Beautiful, spacious, interesting and justice oriented! My favorite floor is the art floor as it has such variance in styles! Highly recommend for locals, visitors and families! The rotating special exhibits are always exceptional! Plus, they host community events like Friday night music and food truck nights and voter information events:

My 15m old loves coming here! They have a nice play area for young ones and airco. There is also a place to breastfeed

Absolutely Beautiful. I grew up in Oakland. To see all the beautiful renovations they have made to the Oakland Museum, it's incredible. If you have not visited, do so, as soon as possible.

My 3 kids ages 11, 14 and 18 had a great afternoon here. We all learned a lot. Exhibits were really engaging. The kids loved it. I was surprised because they have gotten bored at museums in the past. I loved that it had art, history and nature sections. Very chill and not too crowded on a Saturday afternoon. The cafeteria was pretty good. Food was good but a bit expensive and the line was long.

We went there with low expectations. But we were surprised to see how beautiful and spacious it was. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Friday from 5 pm- 9 pm. It has garage parking available. Wheelchair accessibility is available. It took us 2 Hours and 20 mins to enjoy low and intermediate levels. We spent only 10 mins in Art level( we went there at 2.30 pm and the museum closed at 5 pm). The staff are friendly and informative. Natural science was on the low level and it showcased all the inhabitants of California. All of the animals and birds exhibited there looked real. The exhibits of the water bodies looked like real water bodies with bubbles and waves. The Bear trap was a good attraction. The boat's moving illusion was good. The intermediate level showcased the California history. It has some of the weird things, big things and mystery things. The wagon, car and aeroplane were interesting to watch and know about the history. Some of the artifacts were guns, items Native Indians used, items used by minors. The cabin with the kitchen, which was built by a rich minor, was informative and interesting. Throughout the museum kids have activities to try. The upper level showcased Art.

I was really impressed with the museum. This was my first time here. The exhibits are well cared for. They give a great and accurate surface level history that has sparked interest for me to dig deeper into many topics. I am not from CA, but when we visit the area again, i for sure want to come back and see the rest of the place and anything that may be new. loved it! They make great use of the space , and really pack it in. Lots of interactive stuff too. The staff were also so friendly and helpful. It was an overall great experience. The only thing that could have made it even better is if they participated in the reciprocal program with my home museum.

Only visited the California history section of this museum (and the gift shop, of course) but I really enjoyed all the exhibits. Lots of interactive media and displays. I went on a random late Wednesday afternoon to kill time before an appointment - it was very quiet and enjoyable to walk around. However, I'm sure on the weekends or during school field trips it probably descends into pure chaos.

This was an amazing experience! Maybe the most impressive museum in the Bay Area! Starting from the basement floor there is a wonderful Natural History Museum with a GIGANTIC topographical map of California which I would have marveled over for hours if my friends hadn't dragged me away. 2nd level was the Anthropological History Exhibition 3rd Was one of the most enjoyable and least pretentious Art Galleria that I've ever experienced! Lastly, it had a wonderful California Native Flora Garden ^÷^~

Beautiful, spacious, interesting and justice oriented! My favorite floor is the art floor as it has such variance in styles! Highly recommend for locals, visitors and families! The rotating special exhibits are always exceptional! Plus, they host community events like Friday night music and food truck nights and voter information events:

My 15m old loves coming here! They have a nice play area for young ones and airco. There is also a place to breastfeed

Absolutely Beautiful. I grew up in Oakland. To see all the beautiful renovations they have made to the Oakland Museum, it's incredible. If you have not visited, do so, as soon as possible.

My 3 kids ages 11, 14 and 18 had a great afternoon here. We all learned a lot. Exhibits were really engaging. The kids loved it. I was surprised because they have gotten bored at museums in the past. I loved that it had art, history and nature sections. Very chill and not too crowded on a Saturday afternoon. The cafeteria was pretty good. Food was good but a bit expensive and the line was long.

We went there with low expectations. But we were surprised to see how beautiful and spacious it was. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Friday from 5 pm- 9 pm. It has garage parking available. Wheelchair accessibility is available. It took us 2 Hours and 20 mins to enjoy low and intermediate levels. We spent only 10 mins in Art level( we went there at 2.30 pm and the museum closed at 5 pm). The staff are friendly and informative. Natural science was on the low level and it showcased all the inhabitants of California. All of the animals and birds exhibited there looked real. The exhibits of the water bodies looked like real water bodies with bubbles and waves. The Bear trap was a good attraction. The boat's moving illusion was good. The intermediate level showcased the California history. It has some of the weird things, big things and mystery things. The wagon, car and aeroplane were interesting to watch and know about the history. Some of the artifacts were guns, items Native Indians used, items used by minors. The cabin with the kitchen, which was built by a rich minor, was informative and interesting. Throughout the museum kids have activities to try. The upper level showcased Art.

I was really impressed with the museum. This was my first time here. The exhibits are well cared for. They give a great and accurate surface level history that has sparked interest for me to dig deeper into many topics. I am not from CA, but when we visit the area again, i for sure want to come back and see the rest of the place and anything that may be new. loved it! They make great use of the space , and really pack it in. Lots of interactive stuff too. The staff were also so friendly and helpful. It was an overall great experience. The only thing that could have made it even better is if they participated in the reciprocal program with my home museum.

Only visited the California history section of this museum (and the gift shop, of course) but I really enjoyed all the exhibits. Lots of interactive media and displays. I went on a random late Wednesday afternoon to kill time before an appointment - it was very quiet and enjoyable to walk around. However, I'm sure on the weekends or during school field trips it probably descends into pure chaos.

We came here for the 2nd time and were not disappointed. I brought my wife and little 3 1/2 old Izzy for a Sunday visit. First off park on the street as it is free on Sundays. Don't pay and park in the garage. :). The museum is also very kid friendly (go to the Natural Sciences section). See photo attached too. There is a section on the bottom floor (to the right of the Registration area) that is the highlight of the museum in my opinion. There are many exhibits, from the Japanese prison camps section to the Native population of California section dating back to the 1500s. I feel like this is a very under rated museum. We drove over an hour from south San Jose to visit. I would recommend coming here! It does seem that there is a discount if you visit on the first Sunday of the month.

Hard to call the experience good or bad. Pretty much every museum is going to have things to look at and intrigue the mind. A big part of the museum experience is the overall feel. That includes everything like who you are with, the weather and surroundings. I think it wasurroundings and feeling I got as I was approaching that steered me in a less than stellar direction. So that said much of this is not about the collection which is fine. The entrance and exterior is simply not well kept. My guest guess is the museum could probably get the place looking better by simply allowing volunteers to take "ownership" since the staff don't. All planting areas are full of weeds. One things that was really impressive was the entire cement wall along Oak street did not have a single sign of graffiti. Bravo for the community to have resisted the temptation!!! On top of the cement wall along Oak street is a slanted horticultural marvel waiting to happen but no it's just wood chips with intermittent weeds. I'll be back. I think some inspiration is needed

I felt like time flew by while visiting this museum! It is so large that I think at least 2 hours would be the minimum to really experience the 3 main exhibits (Californian history, art, natural history) and the special exhibit (plus more time for the garden or other areas). I only had an hour and was only able to see the special exhibit and half of the history exhibit, and I practically flew through the art exhibit just soaking up vibes. The history exhibit was particularly interesting and very well organized. Would recommend prioritizing if you don't have half a day! The museum was easy to navigate, and all floors had a water fountain and restrooms. Front desk/ticket staff were also very friendly!

A wide variety of items from art to computers. It is quite engaging, enjoyable and educational. The art pieces are beautiful

OMCA (est 1969) is a huge museum and a garden located adjacent to Oak Street, 10th Street, and 11th Street in downtown Oakland, CA. This museum has more than 1.9 million objects with multidisciplinary collections of art, history, and natural science, all in their 110,000 square feet of gallery space. I spent 4.5 hours exploring the Galleries of Art and California History, and the Garden but not the California Natural Sciences due to time constraints. They have impressive art galleries and historical artifacts. Admission ticket cost $19 bucks. Parking rates varies on the hours spend in the museum (e.g., nonmember 2-3 hrs ($15), 3-4 hrs ($20) etc.). Overall, I truly enjoyed my visit and the breadth of information of this museum. I learned a lot about California's art and history. I highly recommend this museum.

The museum primarily features two major departments: the History Museum and the Natural Sciences Museum, both of which are impeccably organized and display a plethora of historical artifacts. Visitors can uncover fascinating insights into the history and geography of California. Additionally, there's a spacious children's play area within the Natural Sciences department. While the Modern Art Gallery had a collection that was somewhat underwhelming, the museum offers other attractions, including a koi pond, a gift store, and a lovely lawn area. Notably, the Towne Fare restaurant left a lasting impression; we thoroughly enjoyed both the ambiance and the delicious food. We certainly plan to return, if only for the exceptional dining experience. I definitely recommend OMCA for young kids. It's worth noting that exploring the entire museum thoroughly may take an entire day, so plan your visit accordingly. Parking is also convenient, with ample street parking available and a parking garage.

What an incredible museum! The thought, compassion, inclusivity, and stunning array of collections, both permanent and temporary- just wow! The curators have done a brilliant job in every aspect. The size of this museum can keep you busy for days. The grounds were peppered with artists of all ages, sitting and sketching and families picnicking in the open air common areas, and this is just so heart warming to me. I rarely make it to Oakland from San Francisco, but now I have another reason to go more often.

Came here because I was helping to chaperone a field trip. I definitely need to come back another time without having to stress and watch over other peoples children. This is such an amazing museum. Easy to get to from Bart. Just exit Lake Merritt. Kids under 12 are free. They have a bunch of interactive exhibits for the kids. I love that they had walls for people to put up answers and suggestions. There's a history section, an art section, natural sciences...so many things to see and learn.

It is an excellent museum and a place to go with kids on weekends. My little boy ones love the environment here, I recommend this place!

Located in the Oakland Museum of California, there is a nice cafe area with an open space. I had ordered collard greens and grapefruit juice which were a delight from my work day. I find the grapefruit juice very satisfying. The museum is really cool. They have a lot of research about California's past and its natural outlook. There is a cool display of Bodega Bay and a few interactive stuff there. The parking can be quite steep when you enter in.

OMCA is amazing. We love it here. We try and come at least once a year. The ever changing displays are amazing. We will definitely be back. The bookshops and restaurants are also really cool We bring our 12 year old with us. There are lots of talking points at the museum. There are videos ago watch and learn. Many things to read and learn. Oakland is an amazing place. There is some amazing history to learn from here.

I've seen some amazing temp exhibits here, my faves in recent years being the Dorothea Lange and Burning Man ones. I've learned so much about local and state history from their fixed exhibits too, and I love the social and community spirit of the place. The Friday food truck stuff is cool when it's happening, and it doesn't require museum admission. Back when my commute involved BART, I loved to get off at Lake Merritt station on Fridays and enjoy the vibe or meet up with friends.

You can get in for free via reserving a Discover and Go pass at your local library! Unfortunately I think most of the passes are for one adult and maybe 2 children? You can also get in for free with an EBT card (any state) through the musuem for all program. The special Angela Davis exhibit was awesome, I had no idea Defremory park had such a rich history to it. I also saw some other experimental exhibits that were really cool, although I don't believe I can speak for anything that's permanently on display yet. I will definitely be coming back!

Love, love, love the Oakland Museum. It's a great afternoon outing for the whole family. Also is a fantastic spot to take out of town guests. One whole floor is dedicated to the history of California, from the missions through civil rights and beyond. Another equally impressive floor is dedicated to the flora, fauna and natural wonders of California. The museum offers a lot for kids to touch and interact with, while still being informative and interesting for adults. There is also a floor dedicated to art and a special rotating exhibit. Wonderful outdoor spaces to play and picnic. A real gem right off lake Merritt!!!!!

Very educational and informative museum about SF bay area, Oakland history. Now I know why we have a football team named the 49ers, because the conquistadors came to sf bay area in the 1849. We came on a weekday where it's less visitors. Highly recommend going on weekdays. There's a parking garage on the lower level, it's about $15-20 for 2-4hours. It's better and safer than risk parking on the street where ppl will smash windows. Admission for students is $12, regular admission is $19. We used our student ID for the student rates. The regular admission includes history section, California arts, natural sciences and the museum garden(free to public). It covered a lot of exhibits. We spent a good 2hrs looking through the Bay Area history section and there are interactive activities. My favorites are the railroad era and the gold rush history. I liked that the museum left out the current year of the history which CA is in the makes. Definitely a fun and educational day to bring your kids, parents, grandparents to learn the Bay Area California history.

During my trip back to the Bay Area the Oakland Museum was on my check list. It happened to be the first Friday of the month when I arrived and it was the perfect time to come visit the museum. I have not been to the museum since I was a child but I did take my wedding photos in the gardens 22 years ago. The museum has 4 sections. Art, California history, California natural history, and the sculpture gardens. I only had about an hour and a half so my main focus was the art. I was excited to see local artists being represented in their galleries. I would definitely have to come back later to see the rest of the museum. I have a lot of inspiration as a educator to bring back into my classroom to share. Stars 1 star for experience 1 star for facilities 1 star for presentation of exhibit 1 star for friendly staff 1 star for ease of parking in the area.

Notes: (1) Free street parking but a parking lot is available next to the museum for a fee (2) Free admission the First Sunday of every month - book tickets on their website. Don't be deceived by the looks but this place is bigger than it looks. We absolutely loved our visit here as it was educational and perfect for kids. There's an area for young kids 2-5 to play in filled with plenty of entertainment such as a train table, fish tank to stare at and many educational things to touch. The thing that I've enjoyed the most was the history of California and how Oakland came to be as we were just visiting the area. It was interesting learning these facts! There are also plenty of animals to look at and they have a dark room that displays the ocean life which one can just sit there and drift away at the beauty. Definitely recommend exploring this place if you need an indoor activity.

We just went to OMCA after not having been since the pandemic. I now have a 4th grader studying CA history and thought this was a great place for him to learn more about what he has learned in class. The CA history exhibits are great! I was also able to explain to him how others were unfairly treated in the past with the exhibits on the Chinese exclusion acts and the Japanese internment camps. They have also updated the natural science section of the museum to include a play area for younger kids that was not there the last time we were there. This would also be a great place to take out of town vistors to learn more about CA. We also stumbled upon the onsite restaurant there, Town Faire, which was a pleasant surprise. Food and ambiance were great. There was a live DJ there. Moving forward, hoping to visit this museum more often!

Location: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Parking: 5 This is an amazing and excellent museum that we recently visited while we was in the bay area. There is available street and garage parking nearby. This museum is like 50 years old and it has many artifacts, exhibits, and interactive displays.  We found that it was very easy to navigate to the museum, with the use of a GPS device or Google maps. The facility is a very modern design and it was maintained to the highest standard of cleanness. The entrance prices are very affordable and this is an excellent museum for the whole family.  I would highly recommend this museum to coworkers, friends,  and family members. I'm positive that we'll be returning for another visit soon, sense they have seasonal, temporary, and permanent exhibits.

What a great treat Oakland has to offer. The museum really shows you what California is all about from its state of nature, history, art from California or Californian artists, and many installations to gain knowledge. It's perfect for kids and families to learn together. It's easy to ready and roam through the information. I love their weird facts and history section. Main sections are Natural Sciences, History, Art, and the limited installation which when I went it was Hella Feminist. The garden ( my favourite ) outside facing Laney College and the open space is charming. There's plenty of space to roam around and explore. There were plenty of bathrooms and water fountains. The place did seem like it lacked personnel besides security which at times they take their job too serious. Next time we'll bring some food to enjoy before or after the museum to enhance the day. Location is great. You have BART, Lake Merritt, downtown Oakland, Chinatown, jack London square, etc. Lake Merritt BART station is the nearest and AC Transit lines 88, 96. 62, 40, 29, 1T, 18 would bring you here comfortably. Plenty of bike parking.

Came here for the "play with clay" and it was so much fun!! It was 90% kids so me and my friends, two grown women, stood out. It was a sliding scale pay so I have some money. I've never done this type of clay making - Ie we get clay, shape it, paint it, air / blow dry abs then modge podge it. But it's quicker than the "fire up" clay making. This was a really fun time! Masks were required I made a planter and I'm so proud of it! I'm going to post a video on Instagram of the whole experience so check it out there too (:

Free to Seniors, $5 everyone else-First Sunday is a bargain. Easy to get here - take Bart - Lake Merritt... walk one block down OAK St. the wagons, tools, pictures really tell the story! Looking at the fools rush, the shipping industry, the thriving stores... lots of history.

Glad we got to check this place out! Such a cool museum to visit and so much to explore. Love that kids under 12 are free. Parking garage available under the museum for a fee. There's so much to see and lots of interactive stations which our kids really enjoyed. The kids play area in the natural sciences building was really cool. We were also worried about it being crowded on a Saturday and we were very pleasantly surprised that it wasn't crowded, not sure if it's because we came at a later time (we came at 3pm and they close at 5pm) or if it's just spacious enough that it doesn't get crowded. Definitely recommend checking out this place, for all ages. Lots to see, lots of history to learn, even the outdoor garden area was beautiful!

The Oakland Museum of California is truly a gem! If you haven't experienced it yet, you really haven't experienced all that Oakland has to offer. They truly care about community and understand our culture and our committed to interesting and important exhibits.

There are some very wonderful things about the Oakland Museum, the restaurant, the generosity and warmth of the staff, and the huge community that comes out to enjoy the amazing gardens, music, and food trucks on Friday nights. The special exhibitions are usually wonderful. The child friendly set up is great for the natural history and California history. Stars come off for the art collection. There used to be a gigantic collection, but it has been edited and pared down and the color and joyful stuff is just gone and what's left is just depressing, poorly arranged, unimaginative and boring. I know they have better stuff in storage.

Beautiful art. Plenty of room. Fast friendly service. This museum looks small from the outside but it's huge. Enjoyed. 25 dollars for general one day.

"Free" $5 donation Sundays & free 2-hour street parking Very cool museum! I'd say this museum is best suited for a school trip for children. I went with my two undergrad sisters & we still had a lot of fun. We did not realize how much educational content this museum had to offer during our initial research. 5 sections: (1) Natural science, (2) History, (3) Art , (4) Rotational & (5) Garden. (1) Natural science & (2) History: - the very kid-friendly parts of the museum - very fun setting to walk through (life-sized redwood trees, cars, movie theatre, oakland population sign, etc) - showcases animals (taxidermy) in their natural habitat (on branches or in the sand) or with their prey/predator - loads of activities for children (play pen, card games, felt decoration, drawing maps, listening to nature recordings, guessing games) - microscope for feathers, seeds, plants, etc. - oakland pride sprinkled throughout the museum - history museum has Black history section which includes a copy of newsprints of the Black Panther paper - I'm really appreciative of the museum for allowing visitors an opportunity to read the Black Panther paper - they had cute info cards in the Black history section as well. I personally would suggest the museum look into creating QR codes to those websites linked on the cards (3) Art: - the more standard art museum look and feel - every time I thought I saw everything there is to see, I manage to find something new! - which is a weird feeling because the museum feels so small, might be because each room has few artworks of similar styles (feels like 50 mini exhibits in this 1 building) - social justice artwork from neighboring high schools - interactive self-portrait drawing station where you draw yourself & see it appear in a frame on a wall full of portraits (4) Rotating: - Not sure if it is an actual exhibit on rotation - Skipped, got too famished (5) Garden: - mainly grass, plenty of space to enjoy a picnic - pond water is very dark, still got to see koi fish & turtles but overall underwhelming Misc: - street parking is 2 hours max & we spent 3 - I just moved my car since it was so vacant - staff are incredibly nice, I love them very much & hope they are getting their fair pay - very outdoorsy (ticket lobby/hallway), to get into any of the other buildings you must go outside (you can partially view the natural science museum when in the history museum but there is no direct access, you must leave the history museum by stepping outside) - phone charging station with passcode lock near restroom, but my sisters claimed it didn't charge. maybe broken or user issue - fun but more enjoyable as a kid - did not satisfy my museum craving so I will visit an SF this weekend We did not manage to visit the rotating one which showcased feminist artworks because we were getting famished... next time!

I love going to museums and I enjoyed OCMA! Its art was wonderful and the California History Museum was very cool. California has a lot of great museums and this one deserves more attention than it gets. The historical exhibition is very pedagogical and has a lot of interactive features (kids, but not only, will love it). The art pieces were beautiful. The Angela Davis exhibit was very informative and educational. Also, the food in the cafe was so good and the staff there was super friendly!

The Angela Davis exhibit is a must see! As a lover of art, I had to checkout this museum during my first visit to Oakland for a work forum. I easily purchased my advance $25 ticket online. You select a time to visit, but I noticed it wasn't enforced. If you're lucky to encounter her, Ms. D will give you a warm greeting that's delivered with passion and her unique style. All the OMCA staff were friendly and made me feel welcome. I took my time enjoying the art and learned new knowledge not only about Angela Davis, but also about other women featured in the various exhibits. The store has a great selection. I purchased a few unique keepsake items that will remind me of my experience each time I wear them including lapel pins, a scarf, and buttons.

I have lived in CA for decades now and am ashamed to admit I had never visited this museum. In all honesty, I think I prefer it to the San Francisco one. Superficially, the parking, prices, and food are all better. Intellectually, the exhibit I saw on Afrofuturism was outstanding. They also have a great California history and Natural museum exhibit which I think is year round. The gardens were lovely and the café food was delicious and affordable. Overall, I highly recommend this space and will now be returning on a more regular basis.

learned some interesting stuff when I went to the Oakland Museum of California museum. They had some excellent exhibits on medieval times It was very informative and well put together.

An amazing place to visit when in Oakland. They have done a wonderful job of bringing great exhibits from a vast background of culture and artists. OMCA also takes time to recognize Oakland's rich history and all the amazing cultures of California. The staff is super helpful, and tickets are easy to purchase. I recommend going on a weekday when its less crowded. For those of you that have children, check out the kids' adventure on the bottom floor. Your kids will have a blast! The cafe is quite busy and has typical standard food that you would find in a cafeteria. They also have outdoor space to enjoy on a warm sunny day. Many restaurants are in walking distance, and Lake Merritt is just across the street.

I've had the privilege of visiting the Oakland museum 3 or 4 times for events or gatherings. I have been extremely impressed with the exceptional exhibits and the accessibility for the general public. The first exposure I had to this museum was when they did a special exhibit for 1968 it was informative, it was well done, it was a joy. The next event that I drove out for was a special showing of the Black panther and it had some guess musicians playing different soundtrack. Again I thought that the event was well attended well produced and a simple joy to partake. My most recent visit was random and I was able to see another floor of the exhibit hall that I didn't even know existed. This for was primarily for children with interactive exhibits and different animals and their habitat there was also an area that was talking about the the black migration as well as some of the snapshot of people working in Vallejo shipyard. They also showed the woman riveters joining the workforce. All in all I was blown away once again with the personal touch the amount of research and the informational knowledge that was being shared in this smaller unsung masterpiece museum. I was so impressed that I will be sending a donation for this year keep up the good work. Thank you to all that contributed to the great exhibits and safe, clean environment for our kids, Sharine

Great Gem in Oakland. It's been a long over due reopening! Father's Day weekend free Admission, definitely can't beat that! Convenient parking garage, paid $5.00 for a 58 minute visit to the museum. They have floor markers on the floor to prevent people walking into each other and keeping the flow of the walking to maintain distance. Hand sanitizer locations spread through out and certain areas limit the amount of people to enter and look at the exhibits. A few places were closed off, but majority of the exhibits and art views were open. Nice little walk to catch the history of California and beautiful views outside. Great outing for all ages!!! Support this gem of a place!

Oh my... the Museum is open again!! We went for the member only opening day and it was fabulous to be back. This remains one of my all time favorite Bay Area venues. We went in the afternoon and the number of people present was sparse. That made it more comfortable for us too. Primarily we went to see the refurbished outdoor gardens, and it is quite nice. They have really cleaned it up and made it fresh and new looking, with sculpture pieces strategically placed to draw you in to various areas. It will be a pleasant place to be outdoors for many times to come. It will be easily accessible to the public which essentially makes it a public park with art, an urban amenity just off Lake Merritt. Since so few people were present we did venture into a gallery, of California art. We didn't stay long as I will say it felt a little stuffy without much air circulation. Perhaps no different than usual, but these days more noticeable. They are following good protocols with limiting people in smaller spaces. It is so good to have OMCA back!

OMC. I love OMC. How bizarre, how bizarre! Let's just get this out of the way: while there is nothing wrong with this beautiful museum, I would normally give it 4 stars only because I like to reserve 5 stars for incredible, not-to-be-missed museums, like The Broad and Museum of Jurassic Technology. I confess this only out of self-imposed guilt, and it felt like that fifth star was a wad of toilet paper in my bra, as grandpa used to say. Grandpa had a traumatic brain injury at birth. The highlight of the OMC (I can't stop reading back my review without that singer's nasally voice...."Cruisin' down the freeway in the hot, hot sun...") is likely the outdoor areas, with outdoor sculptures, a koi pond, and a large lawn bordered by picnic tables, and mostly the the multi-tiered terraced garden, which will test the gender identity of any male depending on how much it inspires you to a plan a wedding. Not that there's anything wrong with it. For the record, the peace sign tier would be a perfect place for the dance floor, providing you line the perimeter with elegant bistro tables with a soft glow of uplighting. Anyway, let's add the A to the acronym, not only because that's the official name but also so I stop thinking about brother Pele in the back and sweet Zina in the front. I'm just going to call it by its official name. The Los Angeles Museum of California Angels of Oakland. It was created by merging the Oakland Public Museum, Oakland Art Gallery, and Snow Museum of Natural History. Like me, it debuted in 1969. And like me, my Dad was at neither opening. Young man, there's a place you can go. I said, young man, when you're short on your dough. You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find many ways to have a good timeIt's fun to stay at the O- C - M - A! DANG IT! ART: Painters represented in the art collection include Ballou, Bierstadt, Burgess, Diebenkorn, Dixon, Hassam, Hill, Joullin, Keith, Park, Ramos, Redmond, Tavernier, and Thiebaud. I feel like I'm taking role for PE. Also, Mathews (part of a notable collection associated with the American Craftsman movement), Dorothea Lange (who herself provided a personal archive), and the "Society of Six" (Clapp, Gile, Gay, Von Eichman, Logan, Siegriest), aka the cop, the Indian, the construction worker, the fireman... Current exhibits include worth viewing: "You Are Here: California Stories on the Map" was pretty interesting, though maybe only to locals. On the flipside, representative of the whole country, "Dorothea Lange: Photography as Activism" is not California-centric at all. The compelling multi-media "Black Power" movement matters, though my ignorant brother would likely shoot back, "All power movements matter" HISTORY: Photography leads the collection, plus Gold Rush artifacts, 2500 Native American baskets, and artifacts related to the rise in technology, business, domestic life, and agriculture. Of the 1.8 million items "telling the extraordinary story of California", 200,000 of those are just fallen inedible avocados, misspelled cardboard signs begging for money, and crushed IN N OUT CUPS. SCIENCES: The collection showcases California as the state with the highest biological diversity in the country, though the showcases range from cool (life-size grizzly bear and a mastodon bones) to odd (you literally pull a drawer out of the grille of a huge truck to reveal various roadkill). The website describes the exhibits as seminal, so you might want to bring a black light.

Nicely done museum. Something for everyone. Highly recommend. Not everything was for me, but that's ok. There was plenty that was.

What a lovely surprise for a museum! Since moving back to SF I've only managed to go to the museums here but wanted to explore more since I had already hit up my regular museums. I had no idea that the Oakland Museum of California was so big and so well laid out. I was completely enamored with all of the different sections we could choose to go down. In fact I liked it so much I came twice in one month because I didn't have enough time to look at everything the last time I came. This is definitely in my top 5 favorite museums in the bay and would highly recommend it to anyone!

Can's believe is free every first Sunday each month, register online to reserve the ticket with time slot. If you are not a member, no discount for parking underneath the museum. There are some street parking on Sunday afternoon, still feel safer to park within the structure.

This is an AMAZING experience! The Angela Davis exhibition alone is well worth the visit and entrance fee!

Love, Love, Love this museum. It sits right next to Lake Merritt and has some of the best views in Oakland. I loved the exhibits they had at the time and went during one of their free admission days when they first reopened! Whoohooo!!! Always look out for chances to go for free. Parking in Oakland is always rough but if you go at the right time you'll find a spot on the street. Otherwise they have a garage that costs around $5/hour or $20 for the full day.

Amazing Quality and uniqueness of Oakland Museum of California. https://ilovedownload.net/

It's worth the visit! I did not know that this museum was free during the first Sunday of each month. What a pleasant surprise! I am definitely going to come back for free. Parking is quite expensive per the hour but will be parking on the street next time! There is quite a lot of space. The exhibits were excellent with such interactive opportunties-- even during COVID. Some parts of each floor was closed during COVID but understandable. Excited to come back when things open up. Service is excellent. Loved the modern art and history floors-- such great information and have a couple short video/documentaries playing that are enjoyable and informational. The outside is beautiful and I will definitely be coming back to have a picnic!

This innovative museum unites three fascinating areas under one modern, concrete roof: California History, Natural Sciences, and Contemporary Art. The exhibits are engaging and interactive and almost too rich in fascinating detail, with artifacts and displays that are found only here. I could come here once a month and not run out of new things to study, touch, hold and ponder. A 19th century map of Oakland when it really was an amazing garden of oaks. A massive screen video of a helicopter flying around the entire SF Bay, focussed on the shoreline, that takes 1 hour to go around. Sculpture. And a great cafe that serves hearty food. Just wish it were not such a long drive from Sunnyvale.......I guess it's to be expected that "Oakland Museum" will end up in Oakland.......

Really decent museum. Attended a live sketching and saw really great art! Good place to stop on your visits in the area!

One of my favorite places to visit. The Angela Davis and Feminist Exhibit was timeless. I love that there's so much to see, you already convince yourself a second trip is needed. The Natural Science section for the little ones is so impressive! It's huge and can take a good 30-45 minutes to walk through if you take your time! My one-year-old niece enjoyed the forest and ocean play areas and all of the different animal displays. Shout out to Ms. Dee and her powerful, contagious, uplifting energy! Find her when you go, so you can get a proper intro. Definitely worth my membership. Educators get discounted prices, including parking ($2.50/hour as opposed to $5)! There are dope events and food trucks on Fridays too!!!

OMCA is one of the most engaging museums I've been to. It takes you on an interactive sensory journey through the history of California, highlighting moments in California's timeline that most of us can remember being a part of or at least learning about. I went for Friday Nights at OMCA and didn't have a clue that I'd spent a solid three hours there until the closing announcement. The Burning Man exhibit is mesmerizing with real images and structures that people built, a short documentary about Burning Man, and running footage of the experience. So, if you've never been to Burning Man but have always been curious about it, you have to catch this exhibit. The main section of the museum currently has a timeline wall beginning from the 70's to present day where visitors can use post-its to note events in history that they remember. Even though this seems like a simple display, I found it very personal, and a reflective way to connect with the experiences of other visitors. Some things people noted were the: tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the Challenger explosion, the L.A. Riots, 9/11, and the passing of many famous people. The museum presents a range of very diverse and meaningful exhibits that can appeal to the interest of a wide audience. So if you're in Oakland, plan to visit and give yourself a few hours to enjoy this experience.

This review is for the Museum on the special Friday night Oakland even evenings. Recent visit on a Friday night. $5 parking and half off admission, plus all the food trucks and live bands. The museum itself is a gem that takes time to view all the exhibits. Friday's are ultra crowded in the area, but then swim is surprisingly quiet. California History - take the time to see the fascinating history of this area and view the nicely done video compilations. Pro Tip #1 - Go early before the crowds and walk the museum, then head out to street events and food trucks. Pro Tip #2 - Take the Whaling tour if it's available and see if the artist's last name and your tour guides last name match up. If they do, ask him why.

Love this place. Pro: the food at the restaurant is SO GOOD! Nice views with modern vibes. The staff is amazing. One woman in particular saw my small child and helped him find some things that were fun and interesting for him. Some of the stuff was boring, but most of it was awesome, we had a great time. Will be returning