About the Museum
Created in 1969 through the merger of three institutions—Oakland Public Museum, Oakland Art Gallery, and Snow Museum of Natural History—after voters approved a $6.6 million bond in 1961. Founded as a "people's museum" during the civil rights era, dedicated to representing Oakland's diverse communities.
The landmark 7.7-acre campus was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kevin Roche with landscape architect Dan Kiley. A radical departure from traditional museums, the stepped design makes each roof a terrace for the level above, integrating building and urban park in an iconic example of mid-century modernism.
Collections include 1.8 million items and 70,000+ California artworks. Highlights include Dorothea Lange's personal archive (gifted by the photographer herself), 500+ American Craftsman pieces by Arthur and Lucia Mathews, California native baskets, and Gold Rush-era artifacts.
Today the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) describes itself as more than a museum—"a museum, garden, and gathering place" in the heart of Oakland. Its multidisciplinary collections of art, history, and natural science are displayed across galleries and a seven-acre campus, and the institution was one of only six recipients of the 2022 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries.
Galleries and Collections
- The Gallery of California Art, featuring more than 70,000 California artworks
- The Gallery of California History, telling the state's story through its people
- The Gallery of California Natural Sciences
- A seven-acre garden and campus by architect Kevin Roche and landscape architect Dan Kiley
- Highlights including Dorothea Lange's personal archive, American Craftsman works by Arthur and Lucia Mathews, California native baskets, and Gold Rush-era artifacts
Planning Your Visit
OMCA is located at 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607, and can be reached at (510) 318-8400. The museum also hosts events such as its popular Friday Nights gatherings with live music in the garden. Because hours, admission, and exhibition and event schedules change regularly, confirm current details before visiting on the official website at museumca.org.
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