1. Oakland Museum of California #TheMuseumofUs

It’s here where you will find Oakland situated in the context of California. Oakland museum is not only where you go to learn about the fascinating past, art, and science around Oakland and California, but it is where it is celebrated! Come peruse galleries of art, history, and natural science. Become acquainted with the Indigenous peoples of the Bay Area, past and current artists, and learn about California’s diverse ecosystems!

This museum also serves as a place for the community of Oakland to play and learn together. The museum hosts Friday Nights @ OMCA every week. This is a fantastic Friday night experience for locals and visitors alike: Off the Grid, a gathering of some of the Bay Areas finest food trucks, sets up right outside the museum’s doors. Get discounts on the above-mentioned galleries, and best yet, view them after hours! Shop at the OMCA marketplace featuring local art and handcrafts. And this is all set to the music of local musicians and DJs! Take yourself, bring your family, and have a blast any day of the week, but especially Friday nights! Check out their website for even more information!

Learn more here: museumca.org

2. ​Chabot Space and Science Center

Now, this museum is the epitome of learning through fun! If you are fascinated by the mysteries of the universe and our beautiful planet earth, come get a hands-on experience. It was founded as an observatory, within the gorgeous Oakland hills redwood parkland, in 1883. Today, you can visit the Center’s three brilliant telescopes affectionately named Nellie, Rachel, and Leah, and peer into their lenses to get up close and personal with distant stars and planets.

When it comes to exploring science of the universe, this is the best place you can start your adventure. Visit exhibits such as the Sky Portal, where you can go back in time to visit the night sky on any past date (what did the sky look like on your birthday?) and even peer bravely into the FUTURE sky if you’re daring enough! Go ahead and step up to land on the moon at the One Giant Leap: A Moon Odyssey exhibit. You can even Touch the Sun, play with plasma and draw your own sunspots! Your universe will definitely be expanded after a visit to this absolute gem of a museum.

Learn more here: ​chabotspace.org

3. ​Museum of Art and Digital Media (MADE)

​Get ready for this. This is the only all-playable video game museum open to the public -- in the world! MADE’s goals are to preserve video game history, educate the public on how video games are made, and inspire the next generation of game developers. It offers playable exhibits, free programming classes for kids, lectures, tournaments, game development parties, and a variety of community events! It’s open Friday through Sunday. Spend $10 dollars per person to play video games ALL day. And you really can spend a whole day there with access to their collection of over 5,300 playable games! This museum offers quite a workout for both your brain and thumbs!  

We hope you are opening up a tab to buy your museum tickets after reading this post! C’mon, with the sweltering, hot days of summer ahead, museums are a great indoor activity to beat the heat!

Learn more here: themade.org