NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 November 2007

Museum Goes Off the Wall and Outside the Box!
Weekend celebration Dec 7–9 kicks off gallery renovations

Gallery Lecture at the Oakland Museum of California. Photo Rue Flaherty.

The Oakland Museum of California is ready to party. Renovation of the Art and History Galleries begins January 2, and there are people to thank and changes to celebrate!

A special Off-the-Wall Weekend Celebration, Dec 7-9, 2007, offers programs and performances for visitors of all ages and interests. The museum needed a three-day party to acknowledge all the voters, curators, civic leaders, donors, and volunteers who helped launch the renovation project. Phase I will transform the Art and History Galleries by late 2009; Phase II includes a new Natural Sciences Gallery and museum store, and improved visitor amenities, by 2011.

Feria Urbana at the Oakland Museum of California. Photo: Photo Jason Lew.

The Celebration gets underway with First Fridays After Five (Dec 7) and continues through Saturday, Dec 8 (Access & Activism), and Sunday, Dec 9 (free Family Festival Day). All Friday and Saturday activities are included with museum admission.

OFF-THE-WALL HIGHLIGHTS
(See museumca.org for complete schedule)

Friday (Dec 7, 5–10 p.m.) First Fridays After Five “Night at the Museum”
Live music with Candido Oye-Oba AfricanBeatz
Velocity Circus performers (6-9 p.m.)
Holiday Print Show in Collectors Gallery (5-8:30 p.m.)
Soul Cooking Demo with Tanya Holland (6:30 p.m.)
Gospel soloist Lawrence Beaman (8:30 p.m.)
Holiday shopping in museum store and Feria Urbana

Saturday (Dec 8, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.) “Access & Activism”
Activities for our differently abled friends and visitors (1–4 p.m.)
Tactile textile tour with Inez Brooks-Myers (1 p.m.)
ASL storytellers Diane Ferlatte (1:30 p.m.) and Ron Trumble (3:30 p.m.)
Axis Dance Company (2 p.m.)
Krip-Hip-Hop Black Blind Blues CD Workshop with Leroy Moore (2:30 p.m.)
Spoken word by Avotcja (3 p.m.)
Oakland Arts Activists Talk the Talk with René de Guzman (3 p.m.)

Sunday (Dec 9, 12-5 p.m.) “Family Festival Day”–Wells Fargo Free Second Sunday.
Velocity Circus performers
Building tour with Architecture Council (1 p.m.)
Face-painting, treasure hunt, storytelling, magic, Chinese music, dancing, drumming, and Bat Cave tour (12-5 p.m.)
Oakland Rainbow Jazz Quartet

"AXIS Dance Company in 'Waypoint' choreographed by Margaret Jenkins. Photo by Trib LaPrade.".

The museum will remain open throughout the renovation. The annual Lunar New Year Celebration, Black History Events, California Wildflower Show, Days of the Dead, and Fungus Fair will be held as usual, as will the popular First Fridays After Five. The museum will continue to present major exhibitions in the Great Hall through 2008 and 2009.

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The Oakland Museum of California is located at 1000 Oak @ 10th Street, Oakland, one block from the Lake Merritt BART. For information, call 510/238-2200 or visit www.museumca.org. Underground parking is available.