The Oakland Museum of California, at 1000 Oak St. in Oakland, describes its mission as telling "the extraordinary story of California." Its collection has more than 1.8 million objects covering the state's art, history and natural science, from before Europeans arrived through the 21st century.

Three museums become one

OMCA was founded in 1969 by merging three smaller Oakland institutions: the Oakland Public Museum, the Oakland Art Gallery and the Snow Museum of Natural History. The Snow Museum had opened in 1922 in the Cutting mansion, also on the shore of Lake Merritt. Oakland voters approved a bond for the new combined museum in 1961.

The building is the main attraction for many visitors. Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates designed it, with landscape design by Dan Kiley and gardens by Geraldine Knight Scott. It is considered an important example of mid-century modernism because of how it blends indoor galleries with terraced outdoor gardens. Between 2009 and 2013 the museum went through a major renovation and expansion designed by Mark Cavagnero Associates. The natural sciences gallery reopened in May 2013.

The collection

The museum's strongest holdings are in photography. It holds the personal archive of Dorothea Lange, which the photographer gave herself. It includes thousands of negatives and vintage prints along with her field notes and personal memorabilia. The collection has also faced security problems. In 2013 a thief stole a Gold Rush-era jewelry box made of California gold. In October 2025, more than 1,000 items were stolen from an off-site storage facility the museum owns.

Ways to get in cheaper

  • First Sundays: On the first Sunday of every month, admission is free to the art, history and natural sciences galleries and to special exhibitions in the Great Hall.
  • Museums for All: EBT cardholders pay $1 for up to four people, special exhibitions included. You don't need to show the card. Just ask for the Museums for All rate.
  • Kids: Admission for children is free, funded by the Bernard Osher Foundation.
  • Visitors with disabilities: General admission is $15, and drivers and care assistants get in free.
  • Bank of America cardholders get in free on the first full weekend of each month through Museums on Us.

Holiday hours

The museum's posted schedule shows OMCA open on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) and the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27). It is closed on Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), Christmas and New Year's Day. Its Thursday After Hours evenings are on a seasonal break until January 2027.