Oakland Museum of California Reviews

A fairly large facility on three levels, one devoted to art, one to science and one to histor. There is a wonderful variety of displays, many interactive, many videos, lots of places to sit and rest, lots of little nooks and crannies to get lost in. Well worth a visit. Good for the kids and very disabled friendly.

We really enjoyed visiting this museum on a rainy day. It is actually three museums in one: one floor is art, one is science and natural history, and one is California history. All the exhibits are well done and the museum is a manageable size. A great collection of depth over breadth.

I went with my wife and mom on a first Sunday during the free/$5 suggested donation day. I had only looked up a few pictures before going, but really had no idea what to really expect. To a certain degree, I think that’s the best way heading into the museum, without much expectation.

I’ll just say that I left surprised that Oakland has a pretty legitimate museum. It’s not as big as a national museum or those in San Francisco, but I think one could easily spend two or three hours here. Also, I was surprised that there’s essentially a hidden lawn in the middle of Oakland on the grounds of the museum that would make a great picnic area for families.

Went with my friend to see the Dog Exhibit, Great! The restaurant is very good and they serve wine and beer. The turtles outside are so sweet.

This museum is composed of three huge halls covering California's history, natural sciences and art. Each section is awesome in it's own rights and can easily fill a full day. Many interactive and hands on displays are a great interest for kids of all ages. The collections and exhibits are very well curated, comprehensive and provide an opportunity to learn about the state. Convenient access to public transportation (only 1 block from the Lake Merrit BART station), underground parking (at a reasonable cost) and a good cafeteria round up a top notch experience. Highly recommended to individuals, families with kids and anyone who wants to learn more about California.

whether you are looking for a fun thing to do on a friday night or looking for an educational trip with the kids, OMCA has it. they've done a GREAT job creating interesting, educational, beautiful, locally relevant exhibits. they may focus on art or culture or nature or history or a big combo - it is always interesting.

I mention friday night because it is my favorite way to kick off the weekend (unless it's art murmur friday). friday nights at OMCA is a wonderful mix of music, food, cocktails and fun activities. it's a beautiful way to experience oakland's diversity.

We were visiting friends in Alameda, and she wanted to make sure we got into Oakland, her adopted city, that she is very fond of. We came to see the Hip-Hop exhibit but there was so much more to see! There are themed permanent exhibits that will teach you all about California history, ecology and art. I learned a ton! Lots of interactive parts for kids to do, places to sit and take a break, a nice cafeteria and a really nice gift shop. There is a lovely set of gardens and terraces to walk through and we saw a spectacular view of the city from the big balcony. We had a great time!

This is a great museum. Unique and educational. Much attention has been given to how the exhibits are arranged and there is a great amount of information available for each item exhibited - the written cards are in large print and nicely linked with the themed exhibits. The docents/employees are enthusiastic and very knowledgeable and roam through the exhibits ready to explain exhibits and answer questions - all without being intrusive. You can easily be entertained here for 2-4 hours, and enjoy a nice lunch break at the café on site. You will learn a lot about a lot - fascinating exhibits and a unique was of presenting California's history. This is well worth a visit.

This is a rather expensive museum for the size of its collection, especially with the additional fee for special exhibits, and the architecture is intimidating. All the concrete surfaces and lack of windows can be depressing and pretty claustrophobic. Staff are generally pleasant. Some of the collections - for example the California history one - are small but excellent. Do open the drawers in various exhibits, but be sure to have your hand sanitizer at hand. The Dorothea Lange photography was great. I was disappointed in the poor representation of native and/or regular birds found in the area. Restaurant is good, although they were out of a number of items. Nice gift shop with good range of items. Parking is convenient. More places for seating would be a plus for older visitors.

We visited with my son's 5th Grade class. A very good museum of local history. It is clean. The parking is close and the entry fee is reasonable. There is a cafe (we didn't eat at it) and outdoor seating if you bring a sack lunch. I really enjoyed this Museum.

Having recently moved to Oakland from Los Angeles with its deep pockets for museums I wasn’t expecting much from this museum. Wow. I was surprised. The large/significant California history exhibit was better than any in Los Angeles (including the Autry Museum) and made the visit wellworth it for this California native who managed to learn more information about his home state.

The Black Panther exhibit is a must see. It takes a 360 degree look at the short- and long-term impacts of this important movement in US political history, including its origins and systematic dismantling.

I love the exhibits here and the open garden at the Oakland Museum. I really enjoyed the Hip Hop Respect exhibit because it spoke to a huge piece of what Oakland is about from an artistic lens. Really great activities there for families. Great place!

with a rotating exhibit choice the Oakland Museum has a consistent rotation of interesting selections of northern california history (ie PIXAR, tennis shoes, Marijana)

This is an amazing Oakland/California-centered museum. It combines indoor and outdoor spaces in a delightful midcentury modern multi-level space, has an incredible Dorothea Lange photograph collection (it was donated by her family after her death) and half-off admission on Fridays in the summer when there's bands and food trucks and an awesome community vibe.

Having visited the last two specialty exhibits at the Oakland Museum I have to say how informative and relevant their exhibits have been. The permanent collection is well worth the trip as well. For out of towners and locals alike the OM is worth the trip.

My husband and I had a few hours on Sunday morning to sightsee in Oakland. We made a great choice in our visit to the Oakland Museum of California. The diverse state of California is represented in exhibitions of Art, History, and Natural Science. It was interesting and engaging. Also, a great place for families. So glad we found this special place.

Oakland Museum houses the permanent California History collection in the state. It's a great overview of the State, with current events included. A very interactive Museum..the exhibitions hit all the high marks re: current culture and history. The most recent, which ends early spring 2017 is on the history of the Black Panther Party. Relevant, poignant and revealing for those not familiar with their history.. also loved the sneaker exhibit..on the culture of tennis shoes/sneakers/kicks!
PS the store also features local artists..not a generic brand Museum store!!!

But being tourists we hadn't spotted that our visit timed perfectly with a superb Special Exhibition on her. A full hour later we took a break in the cafe (which was a bit limited in its range of food) before checking out the history galleries. These are amazing and imaginative and must be a delight for families. We then continued our visit to Oakland by walking the 20 mins along the lake to see the architectural gem of the cathedral. Another modest walk to the small but potent African American History Museum Library - an interesting building empty but for ourselves and a friendly official. Excellent restroom too, in a city centre bereft of such public facilities. We were by then too worn out to take the free bus to the marina for the Jack London attraction. But for a one day sampler of Oakland we were well rewarded. Recommend all three attractions for varying reasons.

OMC is a unique treasure combining CA themed art, history and science permanent collections with outstanding special exhibits. OMC does well blending the past with contemporary issues and includes topical, human rights oriented topics that really push social consciousness.

TIP The underground parking garage is much cheaper for museum goers if you have their parking pass validated when you purchase museum tickets.

The Oakland Museum of California is a small but important museum filled with California (especially Northern California) art dating from the state's settlement through today. The four galleries and special exhibits are a must see for locals and visitors who appreciate art will enjoy their visit, too.

It is a great place to learn about the history of California and its native artists. There was a special exhibition on "The World of Charles and Ray Eames" when I visited. It seemed that most of the visiting patrons were viewing this exhibition.

But there are other sections in this large museum dedicated to other topics. The historical part regarding the state was very enlightening. There was an exhibit featuring the works of the artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson called "Cruising the Fossil Coastline" which was terrific. The Gallery of California Artists featured works by Californians. Another small section showed furnishings for homes.

There are lots of moving parts in this museum. Spend some time going through all of them, if at all possible.

So proud to live in Oakland and to have access to this fine museum. Permanent exhibits explain Northern Califonia history and environment. Many fine California artists on display too. Also have the most interesting temporary exhibits. Always very enlightening.

A wonderful place for kids and adults to learn about our great state!! There is so much history to learn. From art from different cultures that have influenced California to agriculture that has grown to feed our nation. It was educational, fun, and worth another visit.

The Oakland museum is great. It has wonderful permanent exhibits on CA history, and always has fun, interesting, unique rotating exhibits. Highly recommended!

It's important to visit every new exhibit with the old to truly appreciate the good things in this very expensive state

...I used the Oakland Museum as a home base.

I met a long-time colega here, for iced coffee in the gardens. We sat in the shade and caught up for hours.

I used some in between time to tour the history sections, to sit in on every oral history project I could find. I appreciated the transparent navigation of the archives.

Staff was helpful and gracious.

In teh afternoon, I met another friend herebefore we headed out into the city.

I am a member of OMCA. If you've not visited, you'll be surprised by the scope of the collection, the quality of the curation and the beauty of the grounds. OMCA was the recipient of Dorothea Lange's photography collection-6,000 prints and 25,000 negatives-- upon her death. There is a current exhibit highlighting her work. The history wing has great interactive exhibits for kids or those new to Oakland and the Natural History wing is recently refurbrished.
Friday nights the museum is 1/2 price and open late for Off the Grid. Streets around the museum are closed off for some of the Bay's best food trucks and both live music and DJ's perform in a family friendly venue.

Fantastic museum incorporating human- and natural- history, including California's water system from Shasta to the Tijuana watershed. History isn't supposed to make you comfortable. If it does, it's not history. It's propaganda. This is a great history California from native lands Spanish province to Mexican colony to wartorn Republica de California, to U.S. state in 1848. A solid 8.5/10.0

I haven't been to the OM for years, perhaps decades, when it was a great museum featuring a cross-section of California from San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean to the Central Valley up the foothills to the crest of the Sierra Nevada and into the Great Basin. It covered natural history, cultural history and art. Now the museum is expanded and encompassing the rest of California. The National History section seems more geared-up to younger people, less so for those over the hill, but still nice none-the-less. The cultural history is even better than I remember and the exhibits are visually pleasing and up-to-date covering from pre-Columbian to current events. Unfortunately we did not have the time to visit the art section, but that gives us another excuse to visit and explore some more!

We really enjoyed the indoor/outdoor aspects of this interesting museum of art. We especially enjoyed their current show on Burning Man art.

Some interesting areas of interest. We visited near the end of our trip, it just didn't hold my attention.

A very enjoyable visit to the Oakland Museum. They have a large collection of art, including a wonderful exhibit on Native Americans in California. But, there is so much more than Native American art and the displays are well done to make it an interactive experience.

Super-fun for multiple reasons: the food truck round-up is great. My favorite: Chairman Mao's bao. Amazing. Beer and wine available downstairs in the museum. Half off all exhibits in the museum - hands on, relevant, accessible. A band and dancing, sometimes with dance lessons first, all free, with people from all over the city, all ethnicities, all ages, is a party every time. Lots of joy. A 1/2 block from Lake Merritt BART.

It is a very informative museum with a wealth of California history. The building is somewhat outdated, though. But lots of interesting stuff.

the place is nice, neat and clean! You get to see a lot of different historical information for different cultures

Truly a great museum with a focus on California. I have been to museums in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. I must say that although it is not the largest museum around, it is the best curated museum I've visited. The first floor is about California natural history and geology. The second floor is California history starting with pre-colonial days up through the present. The museum tackles controversial subject matter very well and you really get an accurate picture. The top floor is dedicated to California art and they have some great pieces from multiple schools of art. A must see!

This museum is extensive, covering not only art, but human history, natural history, and lots of fun things for the kids. What really makes this museum special is its docents. I have a background in the arts, but the docents at this museum were able to really take me through the art exhibits and make me think about them in a different way. It wasn't just one of those, "How does it make you feel?" tours. I really learned some tools that have helped me look at art in a much more comprehensive way. So the bottom line is, that it is well worth your time to take the docented tours. The docents are dedicated and well trained. You will really get something out of it.
Parking is under the museum. There are no local eateries open nearby, but the cafe in the Museum is adequate. There are free lockers to keep your stuff during your visit.

This museum is devoted to the history and art of California. So wait for a special expo that you want to see. And come on a Friday when the food trucks and music is outside in the early evening. This place is a gem.

This place is a real gem. Lots of edgy exhibits teens will appreciate, decent permanent art collection and California history. Friday night food trucks scene gets a little crazy but many love it as apparent by the crowds. Other creative events often going on. Worth checking out the calendar.

The Oakland Museum in Oakland, Ca is hosting the Dorothea Lange photo exhibit including the Grapes of Wrath portfolio. Along with this special exhibit is a short film presentation of her background, her work for the US military during WWII documenting the Japanese interment in "humanitarian" frames as dictated to her. There is also an extensive California exhibit in another section of the museum with artifacts, film presentations and historical information on the early settlers, the Gold Rush, Hollywood, Silicon Valley and the 1960's generational cultural impact on the development of California.

The museum has a unique gift shop. On the first Sunday of every month there is free admission. There is a parking garage for a fee as parking in the area is tight even on a Sunday. An enjoyable and informative look into our past and its pioneers in pictures, film, computer motherboards and changing times.

I spent three hours on the top level, which is devoted to art/artists of California. There was a big variety, all well-curated. I didn't have time for the rest of the museum, but I'll bet I could have spent all day here.

Past the top-floor entrance is the large "garden." Although most of the plants were half-dead, the sculpture set against the background of the city made it worth a visit.

It's really changed over the years with new exhibits and lots great displays. From art to science worth the trip.

The folks at the Museum have put in great efforts to make this place useful, fun, and exciting for the community and I think that they have been extremely successful. On Friday nights this place really shines, great for singles and families alike— there is so much to do and always new things to learn about the community. I have learned about some amazing local bands from going. Highly recommend! :)

Love their exhibits. We are grateful to have this museum in our area. It makes for an excellent day of exploring.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Oakland Museum on 10/30 during a birthday trip to the Bay area. We checked out the Black Panther exhibit, which was informative and insightful. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the exhibit was curated in a way that was inclusive and demonstrated a bit of Oakland pride.

The exhibit was interactive and thought provoking -- featuring multi-media pieces that gave you a in-depth, behind-the-scenes view into the Black Panther movement. There were several opportunities throughout the exhibit for the view to express their feelings and interact with the artwork and environment.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. I would visit this museum again for other exhibits whenever I'm in the area.

I LOVE the Oakland museum. It neatly encapsulates the history of the Oakland area from the view point of it's first Native inhabitants up the the modern day. Down stairs is an equally impressive exhibition of the natural history of the area over time. Upstairs is an art gallery that I didn't even have enough time to see. Learned so very much. This is a repeat, for sure. Also just a block from BART so very easy to reach even without a car

She is one of my favorite photographers and her estate donated negatives and prints to this museum when she died. They are having a special exhibition of her work from now until early August 2017. Don't miss it! The California history portion of the museum is awesome and would be great for kids studying California history. Wasn't too impressed with the science portion of the museum. This was my first time to visit and I would go back again if they do more fantastic special exhibits like the one they have right now.

Accessible and wonderful museum. Mostly cultural and historic exhibits. Easy to understand logistics.

This museum is packed with an amazingly wide range of exhibits. All packed in a very navigable building. The history of early California and the native peoples is so educational and fascinating. During our visit there was a special Hip-Hop exhibit tracing the history and artistic influences of Hip-Hop music, dance, graffiti art and interactive stations which is great for kids/families. It was fascinating and very relatable as so much happen right in Oakland. Parking is convenient with validation. We spent almost 4 hours there and didn't get through all the exhibits. But maybe we're slow readers :-)

We were drawn by the 50th Anniversary exhibit on the Black Panthers (which was quite remarkable), but visited the Art and History exhibits as well. Well curated, interactive exhibits. Highly recommended!

I went on Friday night for the event that they have on every week between 5-9pm. I got there late so didn't see too much. There were many food trucks outside but were shutting down. There was a jazz band playing, drinks being sold and people getting into the groove. It was a really nice vibe and a huge mix of people. Next time I'd go much earlier!

If you are interested in California history, art or natural sciences, this Museum is a must. There are three levels; the bottom level houses the Natural Sciences exhibits, the middle level houses California history and the top level houses California art. You can visit just one level, or all three. There are lovely gardens to wonder in nice weather, and the cafe offers good food. The history section is set up chronologically, with lots of informative (and fun) displays. The section on the California Gold Rush is especially informative. The Natural Sciences level is especially interesting for kids, with some hands on exhibits. The art level is arranged somewhat thematically, with a strong selection of photography (such as Dorothea Lange's photos during the Depression), as well as examples of jewelry and ceramics, in addition to paintings and sculpture. This is not a stuffy museum - it is very user friendly and entertaining.

California at its best: history, art, natural wonders - all under one roof. This museum offers authentic links to all of California - from the shores to the innovations of technology. Get up close to look at artifacts, admire art with beauty and guts, marvel at the wonder of nature. You'll recognize the story of people, and their expressions through art. Enjoy the grounds and outdoor sculptures, catch a grand exhibit, and have fun on Friday nights!

After visiting and appreciating the Oakland Museum numerous times as our children grew up--and then on our own--we recently returned with our active and enthusiastic 7-year-old grandson and great-nephew. It was a good thing that there were two of us (adults), because the boys wanted to explore many of the exhibits, and not always the same ones at the same time. They had a ball, and so did we.

I have visited numerous museums around the world and I would not place Oakland Museum of California in the top tier. It is a fairly large museum complex composed of three exhibits: art, history and science, and outside gardens. The art exhibit is probably better and larger than the other two, but nothing to write home about. I would certainly recommend visit to the outside gardens: interesting and well kept.

Oakland Museum marries modern art with two centuries of local California History.
I've visited with adult friends in the past, and took my grandchildren here last year. I think I enjoyed the latter visit more. The kids were excited over each new exhibit from natural history to the Gold Rush days. We lunched at the lovely sandwich shop and the kids loved the soup and wraps...

During a recent visit to the Bay Area for work I made an effort to visit Oakland. As a Bay Area lover, i must admit that I knew very little about the east bay. So I took in two noteworthy sites. Oakland Museum of California and Oaklandish (see review). The museum was wonderful. The 50 Anniversary of the Black Panther exhibit was so informative and eye opening. Just across the hall was also the history of California exhibit. I highly recommend this museum if you plan to visit the bay area.

I've been going to the Oakland Museum for years. It has super accessible (as in the easy for all ages to enjoy) exhibits on California history. There are wonderful special exhibitions year round. Highly suggest what I *believe* is an annual Dia de los Muertos exhibit.

I live in Oakland and so this is my local museum. I just saw the Black Panthers show here and it was SUCH a heartwarming community event. The diversity of the audience coming to the show was awe inspiring.

I know I'm just preaching to the choir here but the Oakland Museum is truly an under appreciated gem in the Bay Area. As other people have mentioned there seems to be something here for everyone. Coming from the East Coast I always had a fascination about the complicated history of California. While it was really interesting to read about the many areas of this cities growth, I was most fascinated by the area that spoke about the Japanese camps of WW2. Having family in Japan, seeing some artifacts from that period really hit home how devastating this period was. On the brighter side, as a fan of 60s music, it was a special treat to see psychedelic art from this period. Fun gift shop as well!

Centrally located and easy to get to, the Oakland Museum of California has hosted recent exhibits such as Dorthea Lang photography, the History of the Black Panthers, The History of Celebrity Sneakers 'The Sneaker Culture' and that's just to name a few. The permanent collection is great too.

The Oakland Museum strives to make its exhibits revelatory and engaging. Good place to take your family or a date to experience art, culture and history.

A great regional museum with highly engaging exhibits including for teens and children. It is really 4 museums - art, nature/environment, California history and the outdoor grounds. I recommend an annual family pass if you live in the area. Great gift shop and good on site cafe.

Every time I come to visit my daughter who lives 2 blocks away from this museum, we come here for Friday night half price museum at 5pm. Then we select dinner from one or two of the dozen or so food trucks, while listening to the local band play. The museums show us California history with local flare, the food truck vendors provide delicious food, and the musicians make it festive. This has become a Friday night ritual when I visit my daughter here!

Luckily, I happened to be in town for their Friday night discount and food truck round up. It was my first time in Oakland, but everyone I mentioned this activity to said I would love it - they were right. So many great exhibits. Not only that, but they find a way to make things interactive that you wouldn't even imagine. Great for ALL ages. Could happily get carried away in there for hours.

We loved the overview of the Californian history. A lot of information, if you like a quick scan, or if you are interested in more specific themes a very complete overview. We will come back for sure!

I went specifically for the Panther exhibit however after checking out that exhibit I wondered into other exhibits at the museum and was delighted

The Oakland Museum Fridays off the grid have great music with DJ, dancing, and good food from 5-9pm.

This is a very comprehensive museum of California history, natural history and art, that also mounts regularly changing exhibitions of important art and ideas.

I grew up in Washington, D.C. where I spent my youth frequenting the various museums of the Smithsonian. Now, Oakland doesn't have close to that many museums but if there has to be one museum to represent this city, OMCA does an awesome job.

First of all, it always has some sort of interesting perspective the reflects some aspect of this progressive and diverse town. For example, some of the ones that made an impact on me are the 50th anniversary of the Black Panthers, Out of the Box - a History of the Sneaker and Question Bridge: The Black Male. They also have as part of their permanent exhibits a part of a massive Gold Rush exhibit that just about every 4th grader has to study in California. What I like about it is that it has included very thoughtfully the Chinese component of that time in history.

It's also very fun. Every Friday night, they throw an Off the Grid event from 5–9 pm, where lots of different awesome food trucks show up. Half-price gallery admission for adults and ages 18 and under are free. There is also a cash bar, professional DJs, family friendly dance lessons and live local music. If you are from out of town, this is a great place to get a feel for the local community.

The cafeteria also has very good food and a very nice atmosphere. The museum is very centrally located in the city and easily accessed by either Bart, walking, or even by car. The atmosphere is very relaxed.

Margaret

We were going to go to Oakland first Friday, but because of forth of July it was pushed back a week. Our son said no worries, we can go to the Oakland Museum Friday night party. It was wonderful, 20 food trucks, live music (soul and French Chanson), crafts, and the museum. You can walk around the museum gardens, dance, listen to good music, visit the museum (this requires an entry fee), eat almost any cuisine you can imagine, all in one place. This is a wonderful way to bring people to the museum and make the museum a part of the community.

The museum focuses on California, three major sub-divisions, Natural Science, History, & Art. Each gets a floor. Not arranged in tight topics like some traditional museums they mix it up a bit.

For instance in the Art Museum a section titled" Land" has painting. photography, and ceramic sculpture.etc together rather than sub-dividing the exhibit by artistic disciplines. All are focused on matters of the land.

It's not laid out in neat rows of glass cases the exhibits are accessible & in a sense of discoveries within the areas of display. Smaller sub-topics within a larger area.on a general topic. A fun place to spend some time discovering.

Excellent as a museum as exhibits are interesting and always changing. Even better for solos and couples on Friday night for live music, dancing and eating

Took my grandson here to see the shoe exhibit as well as the Black Panthers exhibit. Thoroughly enjoyed both. Lots to see & do at the museum!

Museum has spaces for relaxing with water pool and cafe. Special exhibit well curated. Permanent collection is eclectic and focused on California...Gift shop has usual tourist stuff and art artifacts and jewelry, interesting collection.

This is not a museum of Oakland but of all of California, and it's an excellent introduction to our tall skinny state. I live in Oakland and take foreign visitors here. They love it and I never tire of going back. Of the three floors--geography, history and art--I like the geography floor best (dioramas of different ecosystems such as the Sutter Buttes, etc.), with the history floor a close second (artifacts from the different periods--missions, gold rush, etc.). The art floor is just OK. The cafe is good for a light lunch.

Stunning, varied exhibits wonderful outdoor experience and great docents! The building is an architectural wonder, with rooftop gardens and diverse plants and flowers.

The OMCA is a very nice and extensive museum. There are three exhibits; art, historical and natural sciences. Historical was my favorite as it provided California’s fascinating history via visual, audio and written formats. It was very interesting and enjoyable. FYI backpacks must be worn to the front of your person, otherwise visitors will need to use the museum’s complimentary lockers. I highly recommend checking OMCA out.

We spent three hours at the museum and could have extended it to 4-5 hours. The layout of the museum makes it easy to manage. There are 3 floors: Calif. History, Art, and Natural History. That way, you could skip a floor if you weren't interested in a specific topic. Our group enjoyed the Calif. History most, and Natural History came next. They have a cafe but we didn't sample that. One of our group is disabled and cannot walk far, so we were grateful for the wheelchairs that were readily available (free) for her use. There are knowledgeable docents on every floor, always available but not intrusive. Parking is easy; each floor of the museum abuts one floor of the parking garage. We were so glad we came.

We spent the entire day at the museum. It started with traditional day of the dead opening ceremony with dancers. After that we ate at food trucks that were serving Mexican food. The empanadas were wonderful. We spent the rest of the day in the history of California hall then the Art hall. We read and listened to the terrific exhibits until closing.

This museum surprised me when I first visited years ago. I found a variety of themed exhibits. The displays were well done artistically and very interesting. In some cases not traditionally displayed.
( I find that refreshing.) Interesting subjects and art. I would check them out online to see what is currently on display. When you are through playing outside come on inside. Yes... there is culture in Oakland.

Best place to go and relive your childhood bring back a lot of memories and it's very educational for the youth and people of nature you should go and enjoy ypurself

Oakland Museum of California shows the state's history in it's permanent collection, including a section on immigration that's relevant today as in the past. A rotating temporary exhibit of different subjects.

Free admission for everyone on the first Sunday of each month; Friday evenings are half price.

Fascinating, artifact filled, history of California, from original peoples through to modern day. Really enjoyed the cleverly designed and comprehensive exhibits and we all learned a lot! Parking lot was full but there was ample street parking on a Sunday. Museum also has extensive natural science exhibit and a very nice overview of Californa visual art. Highly recommended! Well worth a visit!

Go on friday nights when they have the food trucks! It's a great museum and lots of great info about California

We love the museums in San Francisco, but getting to them, parking, then dealing with the maddening crowds can be frustrating and overwhelming. So when we are feeling the art, and we want to get away from the crowds (and pretense), we head to the Oakland Museum of California. The rotating exhibits are always well conceived, and the permanent exhibits about California and the cultures that existed before it are as good as it gets. You should come here, and oh yah, then take a walk around Lake Merritt and find a neighborhood restaurant for lunch.

An enjoyable way to spent your afternoon. Except of the nice exhibitions (history of California, a large collection of art, outdoor sculptures and a California Natural Science + a temporary one), the building's architecture is also interesting!
I was there the first Sunday of the month, when the entrance is free and they offer free tours of the exhibitions or the building's architecture.
The internal garden is nice for picnic (there are tables and large grass area) and open to public (no museum entrance fee required).

We attended a wedding at the Museum. The outdoor area was beautiful. Did no notice patrons of the museum coming out to peek at the wedding. Friendly staff.

We spent about 3 hours just on the first floor of this museum and that wasn’t enough to even take it all in. They’ve done a fantastic job telling the history of California without whitewashing it- they include the Chinese exclusion act, the Native American massacres, and other unsavory historical events. This is not the history you’re taught in school, especially on the east coast. I hope to return some day to see the rest of the museum.

An excellent museum with thoughtful curation. Easy to spend a couple hours here. California history interesting and a permanent exhibit.

This was an exhibit worth seeing. Lang's black and white photographs evoked strong emotions. A short film about her life was also work watching. Many of the photos, especially the well known "Migrant Mother", stayed with me long after I left the Museum.

I wanted something different and lowkey to do on my birthday trip since I did other things that were fairly active on the trip. The museum was it! If you’re a nerd like me, you will enjoy this museum. I loved learning the history of California and the variety of exhibits.

The Oakland Museum of California is a Bay Area treasure inviting community members of all ages and ethnicities to engage with Bay Area and international artists, reflect on the movements of our time: Black Panthers, Queer Nation, etc and educate/involve our Bay Area communities in new directions for the future

Thank you so much!

Truth be known, I am an Architect and I love this building. I went to Eames exhibit, it was terrific.

I like their cafeteria, too.

The EAMES special exhibit was well-done and the California history was accurate in it's historic content and well documented. A real treat! It's also a great kids learning experience.

Go when they have a special exhibit that interests you, which is very often. The special exhibits are wonderfully curated. And the permanent expo on California history and ecology is very good. Beautiful modern museum, accessible by public transit. An Oakland treasure.

The OMC is a fine local museum with a wide range of objects to view -- science, art, natural history,history of CA, etc. It is a great place to take kids. But people often overlook its terrific architecture and its truly splendid garden. OMC is worth visiting just to look at the building and the grounds

Beautifully laid out displays and a museum that reflects the tremendous diversity of the area. If you are lucky you might get Kathy to be your docent and your experience will be so much better for it! Nicely done! I did take a half star off (in my mind) due to the exterior sections of the museum having not kept up with the interior quality. Still the exhibits inside are worth the trip to this fine museum.

This vibrant museum has interesting changing exhibits and an eclectic art installation but our favorite is the California history permanent exhibit, full of realia and easy to read information. Beautifully curated. And don’t miss the tasty cafe fare and the gift shop. Easy parking underneath.

As a local I should probably go here more. Its easy to get to on foot and has a parking garage if you drive. This is more than just your regular museum displays and exhibitions; this is a place with family friendly music and food trucks AND beer on wine on certain days.
I believe its specialty is California history and within the last two years or so they underwent a major renovation and now have more really cool things like a giant map of the East Bay that covers the floor of one space.
Come see the historic gold rush nuggets and jewelry box that were stolen and found again a few years ago (some guy, literally, just pried open a door, smashed the case and walked out).
What makes this such a nice place is the large open air courtyard with trees and sculptures and the different art installations that are placed around walkways on top of the roof. Its pretty extensive and has some great views from downtown.
The back part of it actually has a little pond of some sort with fish in it. I used to go there more for that because there were may magic mushrooms growing around it there. Alas, that is no longer the case but you might still see people slowly walking around, heads to the ground, looking for them still. Quite a magical place!

Really well done Museum. Three different museums in one! California marine and animal/wildlife, California history and art. Very nice and YES they have onsite parking!!!

The California history section is outstanding. The art section is not as good. The science section is great for children. The food in the cafe is very good also.

Went today with 7 kids, 3 of which were my own. Ages ranged from 13 to 4 months. Everyone loved this museum (obviously the 4 month old was just along for the ride) :) We were able to go to the museum for $30, which is a steal for 8 people, especially in CA.

Again, a lot of fun. We were there for about 2 hours and didn't have time to see everything there is to see. Would definitely go again.

We are from the east coast and were visiting the area. We went to this museum specifically to see the Dorothea Lange photography special exhibit. She is famous for her photographs of the dust bowl migrants to California and WWII Japanese interment camps in the western U.S. The exhibit was absolutely exceptional. We didn't even see the rest of the museum, which sounds like it is also excellent. Next time. We were there on a Friday night when admission is half price after 5:00 and they have live music and dozens of food trucks parked outside. Really festive and fun!

This is such a hidden gem...

The history is so worth it. Reminded me of so much I had forgotten about California history— good, horrible, beautiful and ugly.

The hip hop exhibition is so worth it. History and current trends of hip hop...social and political reasons for birth and growth.

The art is so worth it.

The staff are as knowledgeable and helpful as anywhere.

Yes yes yes

A relatively new and sizable museum with many rooms and levels for exhibitions. Currently, through February, there is a don't miss exhibit on the Black Panthers. Full of good information which will surprise many, without overload or propaganda,I had only a quick glance at permanent exhibitions, but they look impressive. One warning: there are lots of steps!

We had a short amount of time and saw the special exhibit of Dorothea Lange's photography. Well worth the visit. The cafe food was good and it has a pleasant atmosphere with outdoor seating available.

Currently (Dec. 2016), the Oakland Museum of California has 3 powerful exhibits that can appeal to different tastes, interests, and ages. Power to the People cuts to the core of the Black Panther movement via objects (Huey Newton's peacock chair), photos (a whole whole), objects (e.g. cloth banner), films with participants, and historic information and suggests contrasts to current movements. The bee show within the Natural History section has colorful low boards and interesting facts that would appeal especially to children. And then there is the shoe show in addition to their permanent collection. Our adult daughter who's a bay area resident showed us where the food trucks pull in on Friday nights for a party like evening fun event with reduced museum entry fees -- one of her favorite activities and times to visit. Whenever you go do check out the Oakland Museum especially with the current 3 powerful exhibits.

This museum is a lot of different types of exhibits and a really great Friday night program once a month where they serve booze and have music and a really fun vibe. every time I go here I'm allowed at the curation and novelty of how things are arranged. I remember seeing some art that was carved in whale bones and then looked to the side and found a small informational exhibit on whale biology. Yum!

We love going here for their summer events. The grounds are nice, they have food trucks on Friday nights and it's just a nice vibe...good exhibitions, too.

I went there with bunch of students and we had amazing time.
I was really surprised that I been living in Oakland for long time and never visited this place

Strives to curate relevant, meaningful exhibitions that are not the topics usually covered by traditional museums. For example, they had a collection about “Sneakers” that was quite interesting as the connecting thread through sports. Their Cannabis exhibition was another winner. Currently, they have a Hip Hop exhibition. As others have mentioned, there are also standing exhibits in art and natural history. Lovely garden and grounds to chill out at.

Visited the museum again last night and focused attention on the Queer California exhibit that explores the hidden history of LGBT rights. Loved the wall depicting the historical timeline and another wall of definitions for sexual and gender terms. The exhibit lasts till mid August.

I went to the Charles and Ray Eames and I was fun discorery!

Not only did I get to know their work! Which I did not knonw, and I totally appreciated it as an Architect, but I could see how anyone in the design world would love. You should not miss it!

I went with my 2.5 year old girl and she loved the spinning top toys! Yes, even adults love them! lol

We also visited the permanent exhibition for the California Wildlife, and what a collection of knowledge, full of games and toys for kids to play learn, my daughter loved it!

I will come back next time in Oakland!

When ONE comes to or out to CALIFORNIA! This should be the 1st STOP! Visit our LOVELY ART MUSEUM! You will glad YOU did!being a OAKLAND resident,I am proud to say this! What are you waiting for? Come on over or out to OAKLAND,CALIFORNIA! PEACE

Very well curated, large museum situated on three floors. Allow at least two hours as there is a lot to see. Dorothea Lange collection is a must!

Devoted to the State of California, this museum has some interesting and diverse exhibits all in a modern building on various levels. Some of the temporary expos are not the best, but they are always unique.

Great museum. Awesome displays and information. My wife loved it and the history with the pics. We would visit again.

I've had the opportunity the Oakland Museum many times. My three daughters went through the Oakland Public Schools, so there were plenty of field trips.
There are always exhibits that go into detail about Oakland over the years.
Now I'm going with my granddaughter.

We come from Davis, CA 100 70 miles away to this museum. Great place to learn California history, and the special exhibits are interesting and well designed.

Used to come here for field trips as a kid. It was a usual museum. But now that my kids are in grade school, I love chaperoning their field trips to the OMofC. Hands on and relevant exhibits. Great one of CA and local Oakland. Recently had a history of the black power movement, and history of sneakers. Great CA history exhibit. Hands on and interesting for kids of all ages. (Ok, over 3, I would say).

Was visiting Oakland last weekend & found this museum as a things to do list. The museum is 3 stories never made it to the first but the Art section & the CA history section were fantastic we spent over 3 hours here & never lost interest. 😘

Unlike many museums children have many interactive things to touch. Such a nice change from having to say “don’t touch”.
Nice displays of California history, much for parents to learn

This museum is surprisingly good. I went not expecting much, but found a pretty good art collection and an exceptional exhibit on California and Oakland history. Parking is available under the museum, which is very convenient.

This collection of photographs from Dorothea Lange should not be missed. These photos, mostly from the depression, give a feeling of the people and part of our history that is remarkable. They are extraordinary! She is an amazing photographer.

I might mention there is an extra charge of $4 (on a base of $15.95 for adults) for this exhibit, though there is a significant discount for students, youth, kids, and the over 65 crowd.

On this trip, we only took in the photo exhibit, but from past experience, the Oakland Museum is, in general, very good. I have, in the past, particularly liked the history exhibits.

Excellent overview of the burning man experience. Enjoyed the mushrooms, vehicles, and moving drive theater.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to go visit the Oakland Museum of California. But one Friday I just decided I wanted to do something on my off day and I'm glad I did --because this museum is so AWESOME!! It features so many wonderful things about California's history, ecosystem and local artists!
Plus the museum is small enough to complete in one day -- but at your own pace you can take the entire afternoon into the evening exploring!!
One other ++ Fridays 'off the grid nights' -I wasn't aware about it when I went and was pleasantly surprised--the food trucks and live music added to the pleasure of my experience!!!

Every item in the History level of this museum is relatable, well lit, and filled with meaning for all ages of visitors. So fun to traverse time in one afternoon. From the most delicate baskets of native americans, to the craziness of the Gold Rush and Railroad building, the exhibits come right up to modern times. A favorite was sitting inside a section of an airliner - wow - legroom! This museum stays modern and fresh and always has exceptional quality. The current exhibit on Burning Man Art was very exciting. Expect to stay for a few hours and take a lunch break in the indoor/outdoor cafe. Wander in the lovely gardens, and stop to see if there is a stealthy visiting night heron perched above the koi fish in the pond on your way out!

This small museum has some great displays, especially if you want to learn about California history. Lots of interactive displays for all ages. Nice outside areas and good cafe with some beer and wine too. On Fridays they put on an event that is enjoyed by all ages and all types of people -- typical Oakland, its a great time.

I love the Oakland Museum. The museum has hosted some great temporary shows - recently exhibits on the Black Panthers and Sneakers - and the permanent exhibits are interesting and informative with extensive information on California history and a great art collection. Friday nights are the best - the museum is open late, there are food trucks, live music, usually crafts for kids, and more. Admission is half off and free for anyone under 17. Check the website for info. on specific Friday offerings.

This was our first time at the museum. We (1 adult, two kids... 8y and 12y) went through all three levels. It was a lot of fun! There are lots of interactive displays. The kids did not get bored at all. Plus, I learned a lot about California I did not know! Highly recommended.

Very much enjoyed visit. There is a special exhibition on the Black Panthers from which I learned a lot and the main history gallery is good modern interactive (although in consequence a bit light on detail- but there is a bookshop). Would be great with kids and very easy to get to on BART. Good cafe too.

Having recently moved to Oakland I decided to spend some time visiting this museum. The expectations were not high, was just looking for something to do on a Saturday. Boy...what a surprise! I highly recommend a visit to this museum. Very nice insights on the history of California, from the early days to the present. Great Arts section as well! I only spent half the day there and didn't see the whole thing. However, I savored all I saw and look forward to a return trip.

Beginning with the original peoples of these lands, their daily life with tools, food provisions, clothing and canoeing is well presented.

Next came the Spanish with their Conquistadors and Christianity. This epochal event changed everything and signaled the demise of the natives.

Allure of wealth and riches from gold brought prospectors from around the world, and the exhibits portray this era evocatively.

The art gallery shows a diversely fascinating spread of Californian paintings. Lovely landscapes are to admired. Portraits are another style that are plentiful.

Abstract works were the final displays that we viewed. These included Archetypes by James Budd Dixon and Untitled by John Saccaro.

Only managed the history of California section but it was a superbly presented chronological history of California which added a massive amount to our stay. Excellent quality of display backed up by informative audio commentaries and some fun interactive exhibits. you need 2-3 hours to do it justice. In my career I taught History and school students would love this.
Enjoyed an excellent meal in the museum restaurant which is set in delightful surroundings. Another tip, after the museum go around the corner and walk around Lake Merritt to make a great day out.

You can overlook the Brutalist style of the building to appreciate the gems within: a wonderful survey of California arts and crafts, history, and geology. Currently there's a hip hop exhibit (fascinating!). Take some time to visit the gardens, though at lunch time they are filled with school groups enjoying picnic lunches. There is an excellent cafe in the museum, with lots of healthy options for lunch.

We visited this museum on a rainy Sunday after speaking to Oakland residents who had never been. It reminded us of how Brooklyn museums don't get the notice that Manhattan museums do in NYC. It is a very distinctive layout, having areas divided into different subject areas: art, science, natural history. The art section was amazing: a terrific mix of very avant-garde pieces, mixed with traditional mediums, even including some stained glass! It reminded us of the Whitney in NYC. There were places tor interactive experiences which were great, not only for kids, but also for adutls. There was a Burning Man exhibit there which was amazing, showing the history of this amazing festival which has become such a huge project of hope. The weekend we were there, BOA was sponsoring a reduced fee admission which was great! Don't miss this!

The museum is a must to visitors. But plan to have at least 4 hours to see the museum. The museum is closed at 5 pm. The garden outside is beautiful ,but make sure you leave the garden before 5 pm because the garden is locked after 5 pm.

Whenever I visit a new place or city I look for the local map to find out where is the best place to visit, including public places such as parks, streets, buildings and natural places such as beaches, rivers and lakes. .
In the city of Oakland one of the places that everyone must visit is the Oakland Museum of California at Oak Street, 1000, Oakland, CA 94607, which is located in the middle of urban Oakland, east of downtown City. Tourists and locals walk through the Museum's different rooms and environments, observing the variety of items and things that showcase the arts, history, and habits of former city and state dwellers. It offers a solid and entertaining introduction to the art, culture, history and natural history of the state of California. The museum is well maintained and indeed offers good opportunities for visitors of all ages to learn and interact with the exhibits. The BART train station located near the building is also a good reason to visit. So, go and enjoy.

The Oakland Museum is a great museum with excellent exhibits for California history, science, and art. There are exhibits that come and go and the most recent one now on display is The Art of Burning Man. I saw this exhibit about a month ago and it is just fascinating. I never knew such great art was created at Burning Man in Nevada. The Museum has an excellent restaurant and there are some outside exhibits that include a large water pond, complete with turtles - and the last time we were there, there was a night heron on an island in the pond. The Museum is suitable for all ages.

Located by Lake Merritt this museum specializes in California History, California Art, and a wonderful science wing. We come here with our grandkids, out of town visitors, and to see the latest art shows. Being Oakland the art exhibits are outstanding!! Everything is stellar!! There is easy in door parking and sometimes we come for the wonderful cafe and sit on the terrace!

Permanent exhibits are worth seeing as are special programs. The restaurant is great with lots of choices.

I love the fact that this museum has 4 different locations to view from. The hip hop museum was my favourite. It’s an excellent rendition of history related to the city. There’s also a science, arts, and history museum inside. Very kid friendly. This museum welcomes your views and opinions as you can post notes and messages of what life and history means to you. A must see!

A contemporary building with very convenient parking underneath and direct walking access into the Museum's ticket area, well-stocked Gift Shop and Blue Oak Cafe'. Also, take an opportunity to bring a picnic lunch and eat outside on the Museum's property if weather permits.
Known for its exhibits on California history, we visited the Burning Man "No Spectators" exhibit visitng from the Washington, DC Smithsonian Museum.
A fascinating history of a most unusual, annual event (Labor Day Weekend) but it was smaller in scale than we expected and took less time than we thought.

The good thing about this museum is that it's interesting for both adults and kids. You can visit during the day or you can visit them on Friday nights for a reduced price with live music and drinks. Friday nights are ideal for date night or just fun with friends but it is more adult oriented.

A terrific museum broken into three parts: history, art, and science. The history was terrific, as was the special art exhibit. Didn't have enought time for the science part. Lovely gardens and views of Oakland.

My brother in law took us to visit this lovely local museum while we were in Oakland. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first, since the museum didn't look like much from the outside, but I was happily surprised when we stepped inside the semi-open-air-layout and started looking at the exhibits. Part history, part science and part art, this museum has somthing for everyone! We took a tour of the history and art sections and wandered around the science section on our own. The interactive exhibits were fabulous and there was so much to see we couldn't possibly pack it all in to one trip.
I don't know when I'll be in the Oakland area again, but I know for sure that I'll be paying another visit to this lovely hidden gem of a museum. It should be a must on everyone's Bay Area list!

downtown you find a return to the history house. Here you imagination flies with enormous wings. Pictures, smells , colors and a sense of past is there waiting to be seen. the people who built this surely knew how to walk the history step by step. Well organized and super interesting. If it happens you are there go for it. You deserve it.

This museum has a little bit of everything for everyone. From the earliest days of California to up to date displays.
There is always a special display.
Yes it is expensive, but it is free on Sunday.

One of the best I've seen! Laid out in three sections, preWWII/depression era, WWII and Japanese American internment period. The museum owns the Lange archives thus have been able to enlarge and crop negatives to make some of the exhibits even more interesting. Truly impressive! Not to be missed!

This is a wonderful museum in general with some great permanent and temporary exhibits- 50 years of the Black Panthers- also very educational and well done.

Being a native Californian I am so enamored with this museum as it shows off the grand history of this State in a well curated space. The exhibits are all informing and educational. I great way to spend a day.

Went on first Sunday, I thought it was reduced prices but it was actually free. I always love the "urban" exhibits. This month they have "out of the box: rise of the sneaker culture" being a sneakerhead family I thought this would be great to culture the guys (Dad and teenage son). It has been a while since I had been to the museum and didn't realize how much they have for the young kids to do (8 yr old girl). I think it was great to get out and keep everyone engaged, all the exhibits had stuff for all of us to interact with. First Sunday was a bit more packed but it's big enough to spread people out so it was ok. Prices aren't high so if you want to take your time and not bump into too many people any day of the week would be great. Support the arts! Support art education for ourselves and our families.

took BART in so no parking worries. This museum is absolutely filled with so many gems. Everyone will find something interesting- even if you have lived here all of your life!

Conveniently located near Lake Merritt,
first of all, the building is an award winning structure. Easy to find one's way once inside, senior discount, engaging exhibits characterize this museum.

It’s actually several museums in one covering California history, fossils and art plus a nice garden. Allow plenty of time, there’s lots to see with many interactive exhibits for kids and adults, easy to spend several hours if not all day there. We liked that the exhibits presented multiple perspectives on history and had first hand accounts of native activities. Eames exhibit of mid century modern art and furniture looked interesting but cost extra. (temporary exhibit, not sure how long it will be there) Nice gift shop and cafe on site with restaurants and fast food nearby. Also close to lake Merritt if you’re not worn out from walking the museum.

Not a great museum but worth seeing. I do enjoy best when the food trucks are there. So you can get a bite and enjoy the music all.

If it were not for the price, this would be an A+ site to visit. I took students and friends there for over 20 years, and all had a good informative time. i do believe the first Sunday is still free, so it is available to all - if you plan in advance. Or, the Friday night food trucks+museum 1/2-fee is a good idea, too. The cafe used to be excellent, but not sure about it anymore.

The museum is a wonderful Indoor space to visit with young children when the park won’t work. Of course, they won’t understand everything, but there are plenty of hands-on activities: watch the fish swim in the exemplars of streams that dot Oakland, climb in the cutaway airplane, make an stop action movie, listen for a bear! The cafeteria is pricey, but does offer some kid friendly food. There’s outdoor fun as well, with turtles and koi to watch.

We visited on a Saturday and the museum wasn't very crowded. That was probably because the sun was shining after many days of rain.
There are three different sections. The art section was just o.k. The nature section was somewhat interesting with the bee exhibit.
The best part of the museum is the section with the history of California.
Behind the museum is a closed theatre center where you can park for free.
The layout of the museum seems to have a lot of empty spaces.
Overall, it was a pleasant visit.

We had lunch at the Cafe and they were very accommodating. I did not want a bun with my hamburger and they gave me lettuce instead. My friends had the salad with watermelon radishes that looked fantastic! We went to the Burning Man exhibit that was a real eye-opener and helped me understand the whole concept. The art and the videos were amazing. Be sure to go outside and see the temple and the very large statue of the woman. Well worth it!!

Regular exhibit has something for everyone--science, history, art. The courtyard is a lovely place for a picnic. Special exhibits are excellent. See website for current offerings.
This museum owns many of Dorthea Lange's works.
Friday nights: free entry for youth; often food trucks are there for added enjoyment

While in Oakland visiting Granddaughter we had the chance to visit this fine museum. It would take days to visit all the attractions inside and not just the few hours that we spent there. It was Friday so they also had the band and food trucks outside. We spent time enjoying the music after our tour of some of the museum.

Wide range of things to see. Staff is friendly and helpful. Plan a full day, wear comfortable shoes.

A great off the beaten path find in Oakland, close to Lake Merritt and the BART station. Surprisingly eclectic mix of art, science, natural history, culture & media, plus a great outdoor gardens & koi ponds. On Friday nights, they close down the neighboring streets to host an off-the-grid event with food trucks and live music/dancing. Great for families, very diverse visitors, not an old or staid museum!

This lovely museum is dedicated to all things from California and they do a terrific job. Come for a special expo that interests you. One night each month the food trucks arrive and everyone makes a picnic.

The tennis shoe exhibit was surprisingly interesting.

The Black Panther exhibit was a good review of that era and the influence of that movement. There are so many comparisons to today.

Of course, the permanent history exhibit covers so much of California history in an engaging way.

You can opt to pay $16 for the museum part or just enjoy the multi-level sculpture and flower gardens and koi pond for free. Or do both—add lunch at the excellent cafe (you can bring your food out to the gardens) and it’s a whole day’s excursion.

The museum has three levels, art, history and natural history. These focus particularly in Oakand and environs, but also cover all of California. There’s also a special exhibit that costs extra. Right now it’s “Queer California” on the history of LGBTQ folks in CA.

The exhibits are updated and mostly well done. There’s lots to see and also a good gift shop that sells made in Oakland and made in CA items. The cafe is really good and reasonably priced for a museum restaurant.

And you don’t have to spend anything to enjoy an hour or two wandering the gardens with their heavenly fragrance & modern sculptures and the koi pond with turtles and few resident herons trying to snag a fish.

We took a free tour, led by an experienced docent, of all three levels of the museum. Claudette was very knowledgeable and patient, and we got much deeper insights about the art and history on display.

The Black Panthers at 50 exhibit was especially good - highly recommended.

Went to see the Ray and Charles Eames exhibit and was just so pleased to have such a gem in our backyard. The staff is very pleasant, the setting inviting and the exhibit was also very inspirational.

My husband and I moved to Oakland about 1 year ago and after one visit to OMCA, we immediately became members. We love their special exhibits and their California permanent exhibit is very well done. As members we get 2 free guest passes with every visit so we always bring out of town guests to check it out. And the best part is their Friday Nights at OMCA - we go at least once a month. They have great food trucks, amazing music, and a great family-friends-couples-anyone friendly atmosphere. I always feel a wonderful sense of community when we attend, as there are people from all walks of life enjoying the event together. It's a must see for those out-of-towners visiting Oakland and for residents alike.

Chronological history of the state of California - very well set out and easy to follow. Some hand-on displays which both adults and children would enjoy!

Looking for something to do during the day when we had Warriors tickets and saw this listed on Travel Advisor as second place attraction. We were very impressed. There were three separate galleries. One for Art which we didn't visit, one for California History, and one for California Natural History, Could easily spend a day in each one but my feet couldn't "stand it". Great exhibits with much information.We would certainly go back. Lovely architecture and setting, too. Also a nice Cafe with good eats at reasonable prices. The screaming, running kids were the worst part but, obviously, it's a place to bring school groups.

Took my Mother In-Law here for her birthday and what fun it was for all ages! love the outside garden and the water features. all the art exhibits were sooooo wonderful! I cant wait for another day visit here!

This museum is a must for families with young children, history buffs, art aficionados, and people who feel they have seen it all.

Exhibits include the history of the Black Panthers (on their 50th anniversary), hip hop, Dorothea Lange, and that is in the past few months. The various future and past attractions are listed on the OMCA website.

In the fantastic art collection, visitors are encouraged to move furniture and develop a relationship with a piece of art. There are pieces you can touch. This is so great for families. The sculpture garden is three levels of expansive gardens looking over lake Merritt and a beautiful place for families, lunch with a friend, or quiet time with yourself.

The history collection brings California history to life including the voice of African Americans, workers, women.

Friday nights are a lovely, family friendly affair with music, dancing, art projects, galleries open late, gardens, and the best food trucks.

This museum is one of the best things about Oakland and its progressive, inclusive, diverse, labor-centric voice and history.

The Oakland Museum is a treasure trove of California history. Location is terrific (close to BART and within walking distance of Lake Merritt). In addition to California history, the museum also features many special exhibitions). A must visit!

This museum is among my favorites. OMCA hosts interesting exhibits, about two at a time, and also has the impressive California history exhibit year-round. In the CA history portion, there are plenty of interactive lessons that kids can take part in on a self-guided tour (make sound effects during the Hollywood history portion, draw native CA plants, or touching replicas of artifacts on display). The history exhibit is so comprehensive that even the adults will walk away having learned several things. Plus there is a garden plaza on the property and scenic views of Lake Merritt and the Oakland skyline.

The Oakland Museum has had several iterations over the years, and the latest is the most interesting. While it has always had a local historical focus, it's current one is impressive in the way that it reaches for community interest.

Our last visit was to see the sneaker collection and the history of the Black Panthers in Oakland. Both exhibits were extremely well attended. There were many school classes in each, clearly on field trips and doing projects. Even with the number of people, the exhibits were close and personal. The exhibit halls have a human scale, and a way of drawing one in.

The exhibits often focus on experiences close to home. There were some aspects of the Black Panther exhibit which were educational, alarming, and moving all at once. One was the history of red-lining in Oakland, neighborhood by neighborhood. A past exhibit featured the details of the immigration of Vietnamese to this country after the war, with personal artifacts and mementoes --- including the shell of the aircraft which carried folks here. This was especially personal. I attended with my stepson, was is an adoptee from Viet Nam during the war. It is rare to go to a museum and find it reflects experiences so close to the heart.

The building itself is a treasure. It is a bit labyrinthine without being confusing -- more, it draws one through and invites one to go further. There are wonderful outdoor sculptures, a decent café, and a really wonderful koi pond, with very large, very beautiful koi.

Great place to spend an afternoon.

This is an awesome event! They closed off one of the streets outside the museum and Park 8 to 10 food trucks, there's often live music or a DJ, and they have activities for the little ones. Then when you've had dinner, entry to the museum is half off!! This is one of the great Friday offerings in the beautiful city of Oakland!!

We spent a couple hours taking in the special exhibits and relevant CA history wing. As a Wells Fargo team member, our entrance was complementary. The library Discover and Go also offers discounted pricing, advance reservations needed.

I always enjoy this museum. I came yesterday to especially see the Dorothea Lange photograph exhibit. It was very nicely done and did not disappoint. The only drawback was that it was crowded, which made it hard to read all the information about the wonderful photographs. I would recommend if you want it less crowded and can visit on a weekday,avoid the weekends. Besides this special exhibit, which is shown for a limited time there are the ongoing parts of the museum which are always fun and you could spend hours in each area, especially with young people. There's a nice little restaurant with the basics at reasonable prices and a museum store for other purchase at somewhat high prices. This is really a fun place with lots of good stuff.

Worth a stop for the creative exhibits.

The Friday night food truck events are fun gatherings that attract a friendly crowd.

Periodically throughout the summer months, there are food trucks and music just around an entrance to the museum that is fun for adults and families. Be sure to check their site for these events. A nice cool place to visit various permanent and guest exhibits. Fairly priced. Parking usually not a problem.

An exceptional collection, interesting and well-organized, particularly if you have any interest in California history, I must have spent 30-40 minutes in the California gold rush alone. Lots of hidden gems, as well as not-so-hidden. The art exhibit is surprisingly good. Again, well-curated. Has a surprising number of 19th century landscape paintings of California scenery and landmarks by known artists (Bierstadt, etc) and photographers. There is a special exhibit of Dorothea Lange's California photography. Includes decorative arts and furniture. Be sure to open the drawers underneath the display cabinets for hidden surprises. Science floor has lots of taxidermy - many more species of mammals and birds live in California than I had assumed. Dioramas are superbly presented and dramatic. Yes, there is plenty to make you feel guilty if you are white - but easy to skip over the "social justice" sections if you wish (as I did). Ample activities for little kids.

I loved this place so much, I got a membership before arriving and can't wait to come back! The store, the restrooms, the restaurant, the park and gardens plus the special exhibits on Dugan Aguilar and CALLI, there is so much to do and experience.

Most people who visit SF won’t even hear about this great museum just across the Bay. Gathered under one roof, the Oakland Museum of California houses wonderful collections of art, history, and natural science all specific to California. The building is a late 1960s concrete Brutalist beauty, descending on three levels down a hillside with beautiful sculpture garden, terraces, ponds/fountains, and lawn areas adjacent. Many spaces to explore in the outdoors, some offering great views of nearby Lake Merritt.

Inside you’ll find wonderful exhibits all about the history, cultures, natural sciences and art of California. Special exhibits are consistently amazing - beautifully conceived and produced. Recent special exhibits have focused on the Black Panthers, Charles and Ray Eames, and Queer Culture in California. The museum’s regulars exhibits are engaging, interactive, modern. This is a great place to spend an afternoon with kids. No one will be bored. Great cafe on site as well with seating spread across outdoor terraces. The museum’s shop is honestly one of the best I’ve seen.

This hidden gem local institution is truly worth a visit.

Enjoyed this museum. Big exhibits on history and natural history of CA, also fascinating changing exhibits on the upper level. Well suited for kids. Exhibits have some facts and explanations like most museum but are more about presenting scenes and showing artifacts in scenes and multimedia. This fires the imagination, encourages exploration, and lets you feel like you discovered interesting nuggets rather than just read stuff.
As well as the permanent exhibits we saw the history of the Black Panthers. Video stories filmed today of Panthers members were particularly moving. Sneakers exhibit was interesting too, though curation was a little confusing - hard to keep track of date order of the shoes.

I also want to call out the museums restaurant. Great tasty food! Great coffee! In fact we sometimes go there for lunch with our kid when we are at Lake Merrit.

Oakland and the East Bay are fortunate to have this terrific museum and cultural center. Always find thought-provoking exhibits and appreciate the commitment the Museum has made to bring culturally relevant special exhibitions to the community.

Dorothea Lange exhibit was fantastic as was the earlier Black Panthers exhibit as have been pretty much all of the major exhibits held at this gem in Oakland. Lange will be showing until August 27th.

Really interesting and comprehensive museum. We spent four hours there including lunch and only were able to see the 1st and 2nd floors. Great cafe for lunch.

Oakland museum of California is located near to lake Merritt. It’s a very basic bunker design to the building. Interesting!

This is an amazing museum with a whole floor dedicated to California history through art. The museum has a vast collection with new shows hung all the time. Very well worh an afternoon (there's a nice cafe too).

Great California history and innovative exhibits - the Black Panther 50th Anniversary exhibit is awesome. The Friday night event is the best of what Oakland has to offer - amazing, chill crowd, great food, a full bar with artisan cocktails and great music. Check it out.

This excellent museum has some really good displays on the history of California and Oakland but don't go on a wet Sunday like we did as we were visiting Oakland. The queue to get in was nearly out of the building! It was also the first Sunday in the month when it is free but donations are expected. If we had known this we would have gone another time.

We tried to see the furniture displays of the Eames' but it was so crowded we left.

Volunteers are friendly and helpful and we learnt a lot.

We love omca! The multiple levels and the covered lower walkways make it a heat wave and rainy day favorite. Younger kids love the interactive exhibits and the last few traveling exhibits have been excellent, with enough to look at for the little ones. The cafe has some tasty options. It is a great way to learn about CA’s divers past.

Unique and innovative exhibits. Most recently on urban culture and bees to name a few. The California exhibit is a great narrative of this great state. Nice museum store. Great membership benefits.

Love coming here with my daughter and husband. Friday nights they have live music, So much fun! Don’t miss out, be sure to go!

This museum is devoted to all things from California, but it is truly a gem in the City of Oakland. Come on a Friday night for the food trucks, wander around inside, eat outside. And note when there is a special expo that interests you.

The Oakland Museum has a wide range of fun and educational exhibits -- history, science, and art. Their current Ray and Charles Eames special show is well worth the extra $3.00 fee as many aspects of these two modern designers and architects from LA are explored through letters, objects, such as molded chairs, prints, videos, and interactive displays (the tops and the spinning chairs).

I had half a day to spend and went with no idea on what to expect. Left very impressed. Both the collection and the exhibition were really interesting and so well displayed; it's much less "museum" than so many other museums. As a bonus, I learned a lot about Californian history and nature. Highly recommended - also for children.

We visited the Oakland Museum as an activity with one physically disabled and one mentally disabled guests. All of us had a great time. The museum is entirely wheelchair accessible, and the interactive exhibits in the history section were quite engaging, including for the mentally disabled guest. We learned things we didn't know about California history, and all thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits. We also had lunch there. While the menu is limited, three of us had the chicken "Sammy" and found it to be a very good sandwich. Give the museum (and sandwich) a try!

This is a wonderful museum worthy of a visit if you happen to be traveling anywhere near by. On Friday nights they have live music and food trucks outside and half price admission.

This place is amazing. I wish every state had something similar to Oakland Museum. Children's section makes children engage in environmentally sensitive issues and give them an awareness of basic agriculture & land use. The geography is section is great, it teaches one about the animals, plants that grow in the location and specialities of the California region.
Then it says about history of California in a section. This is insightful, interactive and great to gain general awareness of history of California.

Loved the displays in the History and Arts sections, which were the only two I had time to see. Highly recommend

relatively new museum in downtown Oakland. often admission using other museum cards. Much about local history. kid friendly with things for kids to do.

I've been to OMC several times. I tend to enjoy history, natural history, and science museums while my wife is more interested in art. This museum satisfies both of us! It's been a hit when I've brought my niece and nephew as well. There are a lot of interactive exhibits for all ages. The special exhibits are often very interesting. It is in an easy to reach location, and offers a parking garaged.

I did not have high expectations for the Oakland museum because it is fairly small and you do not hear much about it in comparison to some of the other museums in the Bay area. The is a wide variety of different art and on the bottom floor there is an entire exhibit about the history of California, with a focus on the Bay area.

On Friday nights they have live music, beer and wine, and a large number of food trucks parked outside. Also the admission to the museum is half price but I think most people stay outside for the music, food and drinks.

Place to visit with kids or with school trips. A lot to learn. I went their with my friend in order to write about Oakland culture. I wrote about the plastic waste. Recommending to visit with kids.

We visited just California history area, plenty of artifacts and fun interactive displays, pieces of trivia, the good, the bad and the ugly, all is on hand to give you a real sense of what is that make what California is today and where it is heading.

Very impressed with this museum. Lots of great exhibits. Very interesting. Spent a fortune in the shop.

Treat yourself today. Go on a docent led tour of this museum. This is an art tour you will never forget, because it teaches you how to approach art through engagement, rather than observation. It sounds silly and weird, but it’s true. You will never just look at art again. I found out from a director of the museum that the docents go through a training that is over a year long. It shows. I’ve been on art tours all over the world. There is nothing that compares to this place. Amazing. Who would have thought? If I could, I would physically make you take this tour, it is that good.

The museum has an excellent selection of artifacts,laid out in a beautiful clear systematic fashion.

The Oakland museum has a wide range of art, culture, activities, gardens, and a comfortable cafe, beautifully designed but providing an intimate and private experience; a lovely place to wander through. First Fridays are especially fun.

We had a few hours to spare before hotel check in time so decided to check out the museum. One of the highlights of our weekend trip.
We wished we had known there is an outdoor garden with shade where one can sit and eat (does not need to purchase tickets) because we had bought takeout dim sum at Chinatown and ate it by Merrit Lake in the hot sun.
Adult admission $16.
Lockers were free, big enough for backpack.. not sure if they have storage for larger luggage.
Three sections/floors (Art, Natural Sciences, and History of California). Both natural sciences and history of California sections were interactive. Great for kids and adults. Lots of comfortable couches/seats to sit.
Lots of things to see. Very informative. Kudos to the museum for acknowledging the genocide of Native Americans. We probably spent over 3 hours at the museum.

Overall, well spent time and money.

This is a really stunning museum. Very well curated and maintained artwork, history and natural history displays. Beautiful grounds outside with an elevated view of Lake Merritt, and very solid food in the cafe. Just a wonderful and underappreciated cultural gem.

I'll be honest: I wasn't expecting very much from this museum. But it turned out to be great. I was here for two hours, which is my limit with most museums, and I wish I could have stayed a little longer; the only reason I didn't was that I had to get to the airport for a redeye.

The Dorothea Lange exhibit was really wonderful; if you're reading this while the exhibit is still open, try to go. Seriously. I also really enjoyed the permanent art collection, or what I saw of it; they're all California artists, many of whom seem to be young. (Obviously, the collection is all modern art.) There was also a couple getting married there (there were signs to the reception), so they have an event space here as well.

I stayed in downtown Oakland and this was a pretty easy walk from there -- maybe 15 minutes. I highly recommend this museum!

OMCA has a great Friday night program that includes 1/2 price museum entrance fee. The museum is open late, a side street is lined with food trucks, there is live music and dancing, art projects for kids, an open bar, and often a lecture or activity for adults. It's never the same so checking out more than once if you can.
The rotating exhibits are interesting, thoughtful, and topical. Their permanent collection is excellent and you can pick up great local and California souvenirs at their gift shop.

great museum. some times it takes a little effort to keep kids interested in a museum long enough for the adults to get their money's worth - not this place. the kids loved it. we were there all day and no one got bored. got to see the actual nugget that started the California gold rush!

We live on the other side of Lake Merritt, so this is an easy bike trip for us. And we do it often, not only because of the amazing display of California history, but because of the inspiring special displays. The most recent Eames design exhibit was a must-see for any creative person.

The collections of photographs are unsurpassed. Take a walk around the lake after!

This is a gem! I’ve been to so many different shows here. They are very mindful with choices. Very relevant. Attracts all ages. Besides the events, the permanent collection is priceless. Cafe and museum shop too. Beautiful outdoor area as well.

I'm a big city museum girl (grew up in NY). And the Oakland Museum defies all expectations of a small city museum. It combines the rich history of the area, with art and pop culture that is all Oakland based. It's a love story to the City. And the Friday night food trucks with music is a real scene.

Spent an afternoon with friends of ours walking through the museum as well as a photo exhibit and an art exhibit. Overall it was interesting but it didn't wow us or leave us discussing it in depth after we left.

I love the place it is very family oriented with a lot of educational material inside it is a very food for thought .

I love the California focus. The Dia De Los Muertos exhibit is always great.

Great permanent collection and rotating exhibits

Love the Friday free nights, music and food trucks

I met friends here Friday night during y recent trip to San Francisco. There was live entertainment and a ton of food trucks. We chilled in the back near the bar which allowed us to catch up, enjoy a few drinks before heading back out to where the live music was playing. Super cool and chill place to hang out.

My family and I always visit whenever we want to see a new exhibit or because we just like what the museum does for us...make us more global thinkers. The awesome staff and unique exhibits and activities are such that keep interests intrigued.

I love the Oakland Museum! It's special exhibits are interesting interactive and specifically geared to be interesting to all ages and residents of California. It's collections are thorough and the docents are so knowledgeable about them that it really enhances your visit.

This is a really family-friendly museum, a little confusingly laid out on three different levels but worth the exploration. For instance, for the Roy de Forest exhibit, they set aside a room for people, especially kids, to play with putting together different motifs from de Forest’s works (dogs, horses, windows, hearts, etc.) kind of like a big felt board. Similarly, the Dorothea Lange exhibit had opportunities to experiment with cropping photos and putting photos and text together to create different effects or storylines. They think of really innovative ways to make the exhibits interactive. They have not just art exhibits, but also exhibits on natural history and California history. If you're not into something, just turn a corner or visit another level. Also, the museum is just a block away from the Lake Merritt BART station.

This is a great place to take your children sometimes they have small events for kids to entertain them more. I like how much you learn about California and the kids like the pictures and artifacts.

We spent 1/2 a day here- there is so much to see, and everything is beautifully presented. I thought the admission of 16 dollars was steep, but it really is a terrific local museum. Loads of things kids of all ages will enjoy.

While we attended the museum on Free Super Bowl Sunday for a special exhibit, the rest of the museum was very well done and really enjoyable. I only wish we had more time there.

Beautiful grounds, always a great special exhibit, fun things for children and lots of info on California.

Children can find a lot of fun, and a very interesting art collection for people with different tastes can find for themselves

While some of the museum is quite interesting, most of the exhibits are geared to, and have supporting literature supporting/emphasizing a definite liberal take on most aspects of bay area history. This includes past and current, natural, political, and social. I felt as tho I was being indoctrinated into a social mindset far in excess of the norm and informed that left-wing diversity played a much bigger role in history than is logical. Communism, gay/lesbian lifestyle, and social engineering were strongly infused in almost every display and references to them were in positive to glowing tone. One visit is enough, never again.

Just to see the Burning Man exhibit ("No Spectators"). A truly amazing exhibit which is definitely worth seeing. The California history section of the exhibit is fun, educational and interesting. It too is worth seeing. The museum itself is beautiful and the docent staff is friendly and informative.

this museum has three floors of exhibits. I like this museum because it is very interactive and there are lots to touch and feel its more relaxed than many such places The second floor is a fascinating history of California through the ages . Guest artists are frequently profiled Friday evenings are not to be missed

Local art and history is captured here. Everything from the history of marijuana legalization to the story of the Black Panthers. Local art and unique exhibits. Really one of my favorite museums.

Very bias with the art display esp the “freedom of speech” section and the books they have on display at the art museum. Very bias and one-sided. Seems to not align with museum cultural ethics as per the NEA.

Went here while visiting Oakland, and was happy to catch the exhibit of art from Burning Man. There was also a nice Dorothea Lange exhibit. The museum has a large gallery of natural sciences exhibits and a gallery about the history of California. The art gallery also features California artists. There is a garden area which was closed when I was there, but there were a couple of sculptural pieces on display outside. There is also a small museum shop.

I love OMCA! Though I often for special exhibits, I also very much enjoy each of the galleries: Art, Natural History, and History. Each of the galleries is well curated and well labeled & explained. There are also interactive exhibits in each of the galleries, making for an engaging experience for children (and adults!).
First Sundays are free.

My idea of a good day involves a thorough visit to one of the galleries and lunch in the museum's Blue Oak Café. (The café's offerings are limited but good--though also keep in mind that the restaurants of Oakland's Chinatown are just a short walk.)

For those who never skip a trip to the gift shop, I love that the Museum Store carries a lot of items from local artists and craftspeople.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!!!
Get Your Oakland Groove On--Friday Nights at OMCA

Every Friday night, there is half-price after-hours access to the Museum, kids activities, music, dancing, DJs, beer and wine, and Off-The-Grid Food Trucks on 10th Street alongside the museum. It's fun, educational, and tasty! This is where we often take out-of-town visitors for an "authentic Oakland experience."

Went to do something on a rainy day and everyone had the same idea. The only reason we didn't give 5 stars is one of our umbrellas was stolen since they won't let them into the museum exhibits. Best advice, go online and buy your tix. Saves waiting an hour in line. Find the ticket person and exchange your printed confirmation for your entry tix. Saves a lot of time waiting.

We came to the Queer California exhibit on a Friday night. This museum is an important community institution and I love coming here. Unfortunately the Queer expo was not well-curated and a missed opportunity lacking notable content that is readily accessible in the Bay Area and full of trivia and forgettable art. The Friday event with music and food trucks is fun and good for families.

I have visited many museums across the world, and I cannot recommend this one highly enough! The exhibits are incredibly well done, both from a design and content standpoint. The temporary exhibit, Nature's Gift (open 'til Jan 21, 2018) is an interesting addition, and provides a nice mental break between visits to the art, history and natural science sections. My colleague and I spent 4-5 hours here. We were very impressed, and I'll visit again at my first opportunity.

The Oakland Museum of California offers fantastic views of contemporary art by artists related to Oakland and a really fine historical, political, and artistic account of the history of California, through countless histories of people, objects, and places that made Oakland and the North Bay what it is now. Several areas are ideal for children. The building itself is an architectural gem, with its garden and the surrounding Lake Merritt area. It is a bit pricey but absolutely worthy.

Changing exhibits lend to new experiences, lovely way to spend an afternoon, in rainy weather .

Great for visiting with children, nice cafe for snacks , great store and Chinatown restaurants nearby.

This museum's curious name reflects its mission --- it is located in Oakland, but its subject is California. Every exhibit, whether art, natural history, cultural history, etc. is treated through that lens. Supporting it supports local artists --- because it is they whom it collects.

Come on a Friday evening. That's when they have a terrific food truck scene, two musical venues --- a huge block party --- and the museum stays open late so that you can take in an exhibition before or after your excellent dinner!

Great museum! I've been twice. Most recently, they had a very informative special exhibit on the Black Panthers - great for history buffs like me! Museum is surprisingly quite large and extensive. Top floor is art. Bottom level has fascinating ecological history of San Francisco Bay ecosystem. They have restaurant. Once a month is free and with food trucks outside - a fun food court!

I was amazed by the breadth of the collection on display at the Oakland Museum. The 1960's modernist building by Roche-Dinkeloo provides a strongly-ordered backdrop to the exhibits.
The permanent collection is arranged into 3 galleries, focused on the history, art and natural environment of the state. The well-considered flow and arrangement of the galleries makes for easy transition from theme to exhibit, and on to the next.
The sheer density of the material makes quite a detailed picture of the state, and of some of the characters that make up California's history. Touching on a stunning array of topics, it is easy to find a link to any specific topic of interest.
I was particularly impressed by the kid-sized models and dioramas giving glimpses of different ecosystems in the state and around the City of Oakland. The youngsters we saw seemed quite engaged in those exhibits.
Emerging after a full day here, I had a new appreciation of how California has become the place we see today.
Even the Gift Shop had a fantastic array of interesting items on offer.
The only suggestion I can offer is that the large garden, viewed from some of the galleries and the outdoor terraces, could have more effort put into its upkeep.

Sunday visit, plenty of parking in the underground garage.

We dropped family off at the Oakland airport, headed to Faction Brewing in Alameda, then followed with a short 1.5 hour visit to the Oakland Museum. First time at the museum, and even though it had great reviews here, I was still pleasantly surprised. Headed for the 3rd floor art first.. the temporary J.B. Blunk exhibit was great and complimented California history with his carved redwood burls.
Then headed for the 2nd floor history section. Very well presented sections, eclectic, fun, interesting, and even makes you laugh. Stories about cities, people who grew the area in all types of business from sugar to railroads to computers, stories about people groups' triumphs and struggles. My favorite story was about an abandoned boat in San Francisco that was used as storage, then when landfill arrived it became part of a hotel on land, and ultimately part of the Transamerica tower was built atop it, and it was rediscovered during further SF construction.. they have photos and artifacts.. I love stories like that of how our area has evolved.

This museum even has a hot tub to relax in! .. no worries, it's dry..
Soooo Californian!

Spend a few hours here. Three floors for permanent collection -
One natural history, one history and one arts.
Lovely gardens. Can walk to Chinatown and other local sights of interest. Museum offfers some free days. Check for temporary exhibits as well. Something for everyone.

It's a good place to spend your weekend with your kids. We have been visited for several times. Parking is easily and close to the museum.

I've been a member of the Oakland Museum for about 20 years. It's always a great place to spend a couple of hours looking at the permanent art and the California nature section, but they do an especially laudable job with their special exhibits! And if you have children, you need to check out their family events!

There is nothing quite like the Oakland Museum: it has incredible displays of California life going back before the Europeans, intriguing/informative exhibits on such things as the Black Panther Party's actual philosophy and objectives, Hip Hop explained to old white guys like me , and a first rate introduction to the natural environment and ecology of California. Plus, the soup and sandwich (and wine) bar is very good and affordable.

Architecturally this museum is an awesome sight. Multi-leveled and blending in with the environment, it's a very comfortable place to be. I'm impressed with the wide halls and movement between indoor and outdoor venues. I love the theater like rooms used for conferences, graduations and a variety of events.
All this and some of the best interactive and culturally relevant exhibits makes for a satisfying venture! Go!

We came for the Charles & Ray Eames exhibit and found it to be comprehensive and interesting. We didn't expect as much film but were pleasantly surprised to see their work beyond furniture.

If you are new to California, you must visit this museum, it summarizes the history, art and natural history of the state in three different beautiful galleries, and always has interesting special exhibits on. Very interactive, great for kids of all ages!

Burning Man exhibit was awesome but when I went to grab my car from the garage at 10:15 on a Friday, before the posted 10:30 closing time, all doors were completely locked. I now have to go back out to Oakland tomorrow, two Lyfts later, to retrieve my car because the parking attendants decided to clock out early. Totally unacceptable in the middle of Oakland at night. And ACE parking who manage the garage were absolutely useless trying to help get it out (before it even hit 10:30). What a way to ruin the start of a long weekend.

Much better than your average 'state' museum. Extensive galleries - I made only through the two floors that interested me most, and could have spent considerable additional time on the history floor (I started with art). It is open later Friday nights, and is something of a scene (in a good way - alive with activity). You can eat in the gardens, stroll outside, or concentrate on the exhibits. Something for most everyone. Now, the caveat: more than most (perhaps more than any) this museum is absolutely infected with PC history where virtually everyone is victim of something or other - generally white males. You can cry for migrants, immigrants, illegals, blacks, women, Asians, Indians, workers, farmers, pick a culture. So much hand wringing. History does not go mincely about - generally, whatver group is in power behaves accordingly - but they also manage to get nations built, railroads planned, cities erected, nature tamed, and sometimes even set up governments that generously give to those in need - at all levels. Rant over - don't let this detract form the genuine level of interest here - it is history, it is interesting, and if there's a heavy agenda, well - it's 2022.

We went to see Queer California, the exhibit about gay people. It was informative and interesting, though nothing really stood out. That is exemplary of this museum - it's large and has a lot of items, but very few of them make an impression.

There were a few standouts for me. The first was a painting of Yosemite while the sun was rising. The painter (a German, perhaps) was exceptionally gifted. I've never seen someone capture the light on rocks like this before. Truly life changing. The second was an installation called TAP, inspired by a dream the artist had. It was just hundreds of tap shoe attachments laid flat on a white surface with white shoes and a shoeshine stand. It sounds boring, but it was delightful.

The best part of this museum was that it was absolutely free!

My husband and I tagged along on our daughters school field trip! So glad we did! We ended up staying longer than the school and exploring more of this great museum on our own. A true treasure. Living most of my life in California, I thought I would be bored, but this is a FUN, interactive museum with so much to see and do that we still need to return, and hope to soon! I don't think the kids were as impressed as we were, but they enjoyed it and we found gold, literally and figuratively.

I spent the entire time at the permanent Panthers 50 years exhibit. So much information to dispel a lot of the myths and falsehoods that had been perpetrated.
The exhibit was well documented and presented. Plan to spend several hours on your visit.
I'll return to view the other exhibitions at a later date.

Our son, who lives in San Francisco Bay Area, suggested that we visit the Museum to learn a little about Californian history. It was certainly very informative with enough detail for the casual visitor with 1-2 hours to spare. The museum was not too busy so it was easy to browse the exhibits at one's own pace. There is some level of interaction but it is the layout of the exhibits which takes you through from the first inhabitants via the Gold Rush and Great Depression to the present day that educates you and retains your interest.

The current exhibition of Dorothea Lange photographs is excellent and certainly opened our eyes to some of the less widely reported events of the 20th century. What an amazing lady!

In addition to the museum exhibits we can also recommend the food in the cafe. There is a small but broad range of freshly cooked dishes which are tasty and excellent value for money.

The museum is not on the main tourist trail around the Bay but we would recommend that any visitors with an interest in the history of this area take the BART to Lake Merritt and spend half a day browsing the Oakland Museum of California.

One floor each is dedicated to California natural history, California history, and California art. All three are well curated, worth your time if any of the 3 topics is of interest.

The exhibits I enjoyed were The Black Panther 50 year anniversary and The Sneaker collection. Both were sort of a historical narrative. For lovers and followers of urban culture, these exhibits are a must. There is also a wonderful California history section. This space is interactive and a wonderful set up for kids. There is a $15 admission but on Friday's guest are welcome to reduced rates, live music and food trucks.

This is my absolute favorite place to spend an afternoon in Oakland. The Oakland Museum always has incredibly interesting special exhibits, and Friday night’s at the museum are some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Food trucks, live music, discounted museum fees, if you’re free on a Friday you should definitely go, it is more than worth it, and an amazing date activity. My favorite recent exhibits have been the sneakerhead one, and the history of marijuana. Such a gem in the east bay, and I will be headed back very soon.

The Oakland Museum has wonderful exhibits and permanent collections. Their cateria has excellent food. On Friday evenings they have food trucks surrounding the museum and it’s a happening.

I've been here a half dozen times and brought guest of different ages along and it's always been a both a relaxing and stimulating outing. There's outdoor space with lawns for restless legs and nice spots to picnic. The permanent exhibits are a good introduction to California history, both cultural and natural. The rotating exhibit right now is about Dorethea Lange's long career and influence on American culture. Friday nights are especially fun with music and food trucks. You see the best of our fair city on these occasions;,locals and visitors enjoying a rocking good time. If you're in Oakland on a Friday night, check it out!

I would like to recommend the Oakland Museum. It is very well run. The exhibits are always interesting. Even the food in the snack bar is first rate. You will not be disappointed. A must see !!

Oakland Museum of Art is really a home grown museum, by and about the people of the bay, past and present. There is great art and usually a wonderful current exhibit. They do a good job of reaching out to the community to create an inclusive space that showcases the diversity of the east bay.

This was our first time visiting Oakland, and we came specifically to visit this museum. It was very well done and fascinating to visit. It's huge! There is an art gallery, natural museum, and history of California section along with special exhibits. We paid the $4 extra per person to see the Dorothea Lange special exhibit and are so glad that we did. Her photography was really intriguing. The admission was very reasonable at only $19.95 (including her exhibit) per person.

We were worried that the place would be packed over the Memorial Day weekend, but it seems we picked a good day because it was quiet and easy to look around. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the Dorothea Lange area was the busiest and we almost had the rest of the place to ourselves with the exception of several security staff members who were walking around in all of the areas. The staff were friendly and said hello, and one female staff person even made friendly conversation with me as we were in the art gallery.

There is a nice outdoor park area with pathways and a green space where families were relaxing in the sun.

This is a neat museum and definitely worth a trip to Oakland.

This is a museum that will enlighten you on the Californian history. You will also find artists from California in the art gallery.

I took my 4 boys (3/5/8/9) to the museum for an educational relaxed day with Dad. We all had a great time investigating California history and had a nice lunch upstairs.

An interesting museum with a diverse collection but one whose ambitions don't appear to match its staffing or budget. It's range -- history, art, and natural history -- impresses. The collections are eclectic and generally laid out in an interesting way. However, it seems to be lacking the cash to adequately maintain its facilities and curate its collections. For example, most objects in its history area are not identified. Where they are labeled, the labeling is sometimes askew and looks like it came from a laser printer. You are greeted entering one area by rows of long unused and taped up lockers. The grounds, a potential special part of this modernist building, appeared shabby, even for winter, with its pavement needing repair or replacement. The museum, founded in 1969 as the Oakland Museum, appears to have sought to broaden its appeal beyond Oakland. However, it is not in the same class as the major museums across the Bay in SF. It can make a good day's visit, especially with kids who would enjoy a play area in the natural history section. I am glad to have visited, but would not recommend making a trip there especially if you are considering it as a major reason to visit Oakland. If you do come, save time for a walk around the next door Lake Merritt, similarly special but neglected.

My adult children suggested that we visit the museum last weekend because it was excellent. They were absolutely correct in their assessment.

There is an incredible presentation of California history, human and natural. It was so profoundly informative and enjoyable. I learned so much and also refreshed my aging memory. If you have questions about anything, there are plenty of experts on the premises to guide you. The museum is beautiful and easy to navigate. I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the Bay Area.

This place is a popular, pleasurable destination. Large hall displaying California history. All sections are well presented. Could spend 3 to 4 hours here, if you are a Western history buff. Needs more than one visit to see it all, including the special shows, and the art.

The museum covers art, history, and natural history, so there is a ton to see. I was especially impressed with the thoughtfully designed interactive stations throughout the museum, like one about how cropping photographs changes the story they tell. And the giftshop had some lovely items!
Also, it's right near the lake, so it's very easy to take a walk outside afterwards.

This is a nicely located, interesting museum with a solid foundation of regular exhibits and, during my visit, very well curated temporary features; in June 2019 (through August) we saw "Queer California: Untold Stories", which was very informative and visually compelling. The docents were friendly and helpful, and the design of the building made it almost like an open park in the city, with lots of open space - there was a pond with several herons in residence, and addition to areas of native plantings. Worth the time and the modest entrance fee.

This excellent little museum is a must visit. We just enjoyed the work of Dorothea Lange and were SO glad we did not miss it. Her photography is world known and thought provoking. She photographed the world in a compassionate way with much concern for the person rather than her own image. You may feel humbled by the experience and grateful for the life you are living.

This has always been one of my favorite museums. In the summer they have Friday concerts. One of the exhibits I like is the history of California.

Good museum on the history of California plus a good art gallery too. Really tries to get to grip with a balanced history plus hands on displays to keep the kids entertained.

Relevant local arts - Friday’s a. Great event ... serves the community well... continue to support this museum

I've always like this as a local Bay Area museum. Exhibit changes periodically,. Nice local activities.

This is a nice size museum for families and older adults. It has a lot of interesting exhibits and a nice place for lunch during the week. It is only a block from BART and makes a fun family outing.

I live in Oakland but hadn't been there until they recently had the Eames exhibit. I liked the exhibit but I was a little bit disappointed that there wasn't more of their furniture on display. I did really enjoy the on-site cafe which I felt was decently priced for a museum cafe. Go to any in San Francisco and you'll be gouged. I didn't walk through the rest of the exhibits so I plan to go back and see the galleries. I did walk the grounds and while it was raining that day, I could see that it would be a great spot to have lunch and enjoy the views and sculptures outside.

Great exhibits. Easy to park and nice people. A great mix of art. The tour is easy to navigate. The rest rooms are clean and there are many

We went there on a rainy afternoon. Well organized, kept our boys entertained.
Not too crowded, hidden jewl.

A great facility, creative layout of contents and story lines, useful docents - a stimulating combination for walking through history - both of the USA and CA. Being a culture and museum hound this place was familiar territory. The HOWEVER comes in how the curators put this museum together. Outstanding is a worn phrase but it encompasses first class, exceptional, and distinguished. Especially 'distinguished' from other similar models or facilities. This setting will not be boring. Themes, organization, use of color, symbols, pictures, vides, common points of history and so much more are all handed to whomever would be interested in a stimulating, informative, educational walk through streets of history, The video recordings of present Californians regarding the early history of their forebearers is captivatingly superorb. The gripping presentation of the Black Panthers is insightful and descriptive of exactly what I and my the lady experienced during that era of cultural evolution. Yes, it is worth the price of admission. Parking is virtually next door - and validation of ticket is available. Make a day of it. Perfect for a cold or rainy day.

The Oakland Museum is a fantastic display of Californiana. The exhibits are divided into three levels: natural history, cultural history, and art. The focus is on California. The museum is great for kids and adults alike. And, there is always an interesting special exhibit.

Oakland Art museum is a really nicely done, multi attraction venue with something for everyone! The California history exhibit is especially fun and informative, traces Ca from the beginning to present day is logical, thought provoking progression. Also an art and sculpture hall, rotating exhibits and outdoor exhibits. Fun and worthwhile visit close to Lake Merritt, Alameda courthouse and downtown Oakland. Public transit nearby

The Oakland Museum is a beautiful museum in downtown Oakland. There are docent tours, or you can walk through, and read all of the information yourself. Years ago, when I moved to CA, I took classes there to learn about California history. I have been back, multiple times, with my late husband, friends and family.

Every time I return,I see things I haven't seen before. That is the charm of this museum.The museum had been updated, and it is incredible. It's so beautifully laid out and easy to follow. It covers so many year of history from the indigenous people up through today, and it does it by interactive presentations, art, photographs and artifacts.

It represents California history from before the Europeans arrived. There are so many collections such as Indian baskets, beads, the Gold Rush, technology, agriculture, business, domestic life, counter culture, Hollywood and present day. Each era has so many stories to tell. It is such a welcoming museum for any ethnic or cultural group.

Outside the museum, there is a wonderful roof garden with beautiful sculptures and a lovely garden of many different flowers and plants. There is also a very nice cafeteria to enjoy and when you are through there, take a walk outside to see the koi pond and the lovely water lilies.

In addition to the California history exhibit, there are also the Art, and Natural History Exhibits that are excellent. It is a multi-disciplinary museum.

Plan to spend a day and come back again. There is much to see and enjoy! One cannot absorb it all in one day.

I was visiting friends in Alamo and I asked them to take me to this museum. I had read that they have a good section on California History and also California Art.

I did the California History first to give me some insight to the art. This section was very well done. I really enjoyed listening to all the first Nations videos. I had 3 hours to do this museum so I spent 1.5 hours here. I learned a lot. I did not realize that California had a gold Rush as well (Yukon is the Canadian equivalent). The USA also mistreated their Japanese citizens during WW2.

I then spent 1.5 hours on the Art section. Having done the History section first it helped a lot. This section is also very well presented.

Since my friends had been here before they concentrated their time on more specific topics. We all really enjoyed our time here and would highly recommend it to others. Great intro to California for me!

This museum was a treat for us on a rainy day in Oakland. I particularly enjoyed the history of the Black Panthers and their contribution to Oakland. It seemed completely relevant after the past election with the current mood in Oakland. The local artist display was imaginative and considerable larger than I expected. I didn't make it to the first floor Natural History exhibit since we spent our allotted time on the other 2 floors. Cafe was good.

I woudl come back to do the first floor - and not wait for the rain!

This is by far the best museum I've visited. It has three different sections located in 3 floors. Art, history and science. My grand son and I visit this museum at least once a month. It is interactive, interesting for kids of all ages (and grandmas). Plenty to learn about bugs, snakes, a beautiful acquarium, history of California, the gold rush, replicas of settlers'lives long ago, a wonder really. We love Oakland's Museum and I highly recommend it.

I have been to Oakland many times over the years and never visited the Oakland Museum of California, probably because I'm not much of museum person. However, I decided to give it a try. I loved this place. There is an excellent exhibition on the 'Burning Man" festival. I think it is on until sometime in November. I spent four hours there and was not ready to go home but they were closing for the day. I definitely will return when I am in Oakland again.

We try to go on the last Sunday of the month for the free day. And we are never disappointed. We also like to go to First Fridays there too.

Visitors to the state who want to know more must see this place. The permanent collection is great, and the

This museum has lots of creative experiences with science, history and art. The hands on exhibits are great for both adults and children. There are even microscopes to look through as well as creating old time animation movie! Lots to see and explore.

Oakland museum of California is a gem! It beautifully showcases California physical and human history on multiple levels as well as traveling exhibits and many special community events that can be accessed on their calendar. Docent tours, if/when you can get them (I once went with 4th graders) are excellent!

Had fun with granddaughters - live music, dancing, food, full bar outdoors, museum exhibits, friendly fun loving crowd of all ages.

The Oakland Museum is an awesome venue. There is something for everyone of all ages. Location is near the jewel of the city's Lake Merritt. Parking is available for a nominal fee. Admission is affordable. There are beverages and snacks available or bring a bag lunch. I recommend when you're in the Bay Area make sure to stop by.