Collections

The Oakland Museum of California cares for a permanent collection of more than 1.2 million items, including important works of art, historical artifacts, ethnographic objects, natural specimens, photographs, and archives. Displayed in three distinct galleries, these items invite people of all ages and backgrounds to learn about California’s artistic, cultural, and natural heritage, all under one roof.

The Gallery of California Art – more than 70,100 works by California artist from the late 18th century to the present.

• Treasures include iconic photographs by Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, and Edward Weston.
• Paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, mixed media, installations, and crafts round out the collection – everything from Albert Bierstadt’s classic oil paintings of Yosemite Valley to contemporary digital prints by Catherine Wagner.

The Gallery of California History – more than 1 million objects and photographs document California’s history and people from the pre-Spanish Indian era to the late 20th century.

• Exhibits bring history to life through artifacts, images, oral histories, and documents.
• More than 6,000 artifacts of the native peoples of Northern California, including costumes, textiles, and one of the finest collections of California baskets anywhere.
• Visitors can experience everything from the campfire tales of Native California storytellers, to the drama of the Gold Rush, to the recent Silicon Valley boom.

 
The Natural Sciences Gallery – more than 112,090 objects document the ecology of California.

• Treasures offer a comprehensive view of the state’s widely diverse natural habitats.
• On a “Walk Through California,” visitors can hear insects buzzing, birds calling, and elephant seals trumpeting.
• Real bird eggs, shells, plants, and geological specimens encourage discovery and explain the workings of California’s natural world.