An Engaging Creative Scene
Berkeley offers an outstanding array of cultural attractions. Whether the venue is stage, screen, studio or gallery, exciting artistic expression is ever-present and ready for exciting engagement at every turn.
Galleries
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ACCI Gallery
Neighborhood North Berkeley
Our gallery is highly regarded as an established venue for collectors as well as a destination for treasured gifts. We showcase fine craft and fine art including jewelry, ceramics, glass, wood, metal, textiles, along with painting, sculpture, and fiber. Located in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto on Shattuck Avenue. Call or visit our website for gallery hours and exhibitions.
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Berkeley Art Center
Neighborhood North Berkeley
A hidden treasure of Berkeley's vibrant arts scene. Berkeley Art Center (BAC) presents visual art exhibitions and related programs that are relevant, engaging and always inspiring. Located on the eastern boundary of Live Oak Park in North Berkeley, the BAC's intimate gallery set on the edge of Codornices Creek is a great destination to combine with lunch or shopping in nearby restaurants and boutiques. Open to the general public for exhibitions or performances. Visit our website for schedules and information.
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David Brower Center
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Doug Adams Gallery
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Expressions Gallery
Neighborhood Ashby Arts District
Expressions Gallery is a contemporary Art Gallery and Community Arts Center featuring the artwork of extremely talented local and international artists, offering an array of artwork including: paintings, photography, printmaking, digital arts, sculpture, garden art, fiber art, jewelry, crafts, floral art, origami, cards, and many wonderful handmade gifts. In addition to regular themed shows with fantastic openings approx. every three months, we also offer classes for kids and adults, themed art birthday parties, poetry and literature readings and open mic, off-site shows. Visit our website for gallery hours and information.
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Gathering Tribes
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Kala Gallery
Neighborhood West Berkeley
The gallery presents six major exhibitions each year featuring both local and internationally recognized artists working in print, digital media, video, installation, photography and book arts. The gallery also features sales of works on paper, lectures, and public events. Visit our website for gallery hours, schedules and directions.
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Shibumi Gallery
Neighborhood West Berkeley
We are a multidimensional studio and gallery featuring art jewelry, collaborative design projects and an exhibition space showing contemporary art, jewelry, and clothing. Shibumi Gallery seeks to create an atmosphere and environment of balance and beauty cherished by artists and connoisseurs. Visit our website for hours and exhibitions.
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The Ames Gallery
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The Art Thou Gallery
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Trax Ceramics Gallery
Neighborhood West Berkeley
Sandy Simon, a potter, started TRAX gallery in 1995. Located adjacent to the Fourth Street shopping area, the focus of TRAX is to showcase exceptional functional ware from potters across the U.S. TRAX hosts many exhibitions and carries work by many well-known potters including reknowned potter Warren MacKenzie. Call or visit our website for gallery hours and exhibitions.
History/Heritage
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Berkeley History Center
Museums
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Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology
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Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive
Neighborhood UC Berkeley campus
BAM/PFA is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. One of the edgiest Bay Area venues to experience art and film, we present 15 exhibitions and screen 380 films each year. Visit our website for gallery hours and to find out what's happening today.
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Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles
Neighborhood Ashby Arts District
As a living legacy of Kaethe Kliot, founder of Lacis, Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles is a place where the spirit of support, knowledge and encouragement is the guiding mode in the dissemination of knowledge focusing on the textile arts. Its center is an extensive collection of historical lace, textiles and costume and a related library. Permanent and changing exhibits. Adjacent to the Ashby BART station. Open Mon - Sat, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Groups welcome. Call for appointment. Museum shop and main floor galleries wheelchair accessible.
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The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life
Neighborhood Downtown
Part of UC Berkeley, The Magnes is a teaching and research collection on Jews in the Diaspora and San Francisco Bay Area. It offers to the public exhibitions, lectures, performances, and a unique venue for community events. Visit our website for schedules, information and directions.
Music
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Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center
Neighborhood West Berkeley
Ashkenaz presents live world and roots music six nights a week, with the best dance floor in the Bay Area! All ages, all the time. Daily dance classes. Call or visit our website for performance schedules, information and to buy tickets. Group discounts available.
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Berkeley Symphony
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Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse
Neighborhood Downtown
This award-winning, all-ages venue provides the finest in traditional music more than 300 nights a year. Open seven days a week, the Freight offers classes, concerts, summer camp, and other events in our green building near the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Visit our website for schedule and fee details. Group discounts available.
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Jazzschool
Neighborhood Downtown
The Jazzschool comprises two programs: the Jazzschool Community Music School, encompassing the Adult Music Program and the Young Musicians Program; and the Jazzschool Institute, offering a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies. Concerts, Jazzcaffe, and bookstore open to the public. Visit our website for concert schedule, information and to buy tickets.
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Jewish Music Festival
Neighborhood North Berkeley
The Jewish Music Festival, now in its 27th year, celebrates and explores the Jewish experience in a multicultural world. The Festival produces creative and entertaining programs, challenges stereotypes and fosters engagement with the broader community. Look for us in February and March with additional events throughout the year. Visit our website for festival schedule, information and to buy tickets. Group discounts available
Performing Arts
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Cal Performances
Neighborhood UC Berkeley campus
Cal Performances offers audiences the most comprehensive range of high-quality, live performances by the world’s greatest established and emerging artists in dance, music and theater. Located on the UC Berkeley campus, it invites all audiences to enjoy the entertaining and engaging experience of the performing arts from all disciplines and cultures in the most friendly and welcoming environment. Call the Ticket Office for a free season brochure, or visit us online for performance schedules, information and to buy tickets. Group discounts available.
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Hertz Hall
Neighborhood UC Berkeley campus
The Department of Music's Hertz Hall is an acoustically excellent concert space located on the campus of UC Berkeley. Seating 678 and constructed in 1958, it houses a popular free Noon Concert Series presented weekly since 1953 and a full roster of evening and weekend concerts by superb student ensembles, often joined by professional musicians as well as community members. Cal Performances also presents professional recitals in Hertz Hall. It is named for longtime conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Hertz, who contributed funds for its construction.
Studios
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Berkeley Potters Guild
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Fourth & Clay
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Mary Law Pottery
Neighborhood West Berkeley
A potter for 40 years, Mary Law is nationally known for her elegant, useful pots. Her mugs, teapots, serving pieces, unusual vases and sculptural covered jars are made of stoneware and porcelain fired in both glaze and soda kilns.
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Melissa Joy Manning
Neighborhood West Berkeley
A designer jewelry store with all work handmade behind the store in our studio. Using gold, silver, semi-precious and precious stones. The line blends traditional and modern jewelry to create unique limited edition pieces. Inspirations drawn from reclaimed and recycled pieces for one-of-a-kind designs. Certified Green Business. Visit our website for gallery hours and exhibitions.
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Selvin Studios
Theaters
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Aurora Theatre Company
Neighborhood Downtown
In its intimate 150-seat theatre in downtown Berkeley, Aurora produces intelligent, relevant, and thought-provoking professional theatre. Dining, BART and parking are just a stone's throw from the theatre. Visit our website for performance schedules and to buy tickets. Group discounts available.
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Berkeley Playhouse
Neighborhood Elmwood
Berkeley Playhouse is a theater for all ages presenting a year-round season of musicals, as well as a music conservatory offering a range of educational instructional classes in music performance skills. Situated in the Elmwood District, with many restaurants and shops nearby. Visit our website for schedules, information and tickets.
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Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Neighborhood Downtown
This Tony Award-winning professional theatre produces shows almost year-round in its two theatres in downtown Berkeley for 200,000 adventurous and intelligent people annually. Restaurants, BART and parking all steps away. Tickets start at $29; discounts for groups of 15 or more, seniors, and under 30. Visit our website for schedules, information, and to buy tickets.
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California Shakespeare Theatre
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Central Works
Neighborhood Telegraph Ave
Berkeley’s oldest small professional theater company. First-rate productions in the unrivaled beauty and intimacy of Julia Morgan’s Berkeley City Club. “Consistently smart, thought-provoking, and unflinching: theater for people who want to stretch their brains and have their assumptions challenged.” - East Bay Express. Visit our website for schedules, information and to buy tickets.
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Shotgun Players
