Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
Approaching movies as an active viewing experience, staff in the Cinema Arts Program view the projection screen as a portal to investigation. We engage with filmmakers who create works that inspire the imagination and instigate conversation. Animation, documentary, poetic observations, and abstract visuals serve a broad spectrum of curious audiences while blending the methods and aesthetics of artists and scientists. Through our programming, we aim to provide an opportunity for visitors to explore the compelling people, places, and ideas that extend through the museum and beyond. Our collection of films and events offer a rich resource for public audiences, and also provide an important research collection for both our teaching programs and exhibit development teams.
Thursday, November 17, 2022–Sunday, January 29, 2023
The dimmed atmosphere of the microcinema sets the perfect scene to luxuriate in these abstract, transportive, and luminescent motion pictures.
Thursday, February 7, 2019 • 8:00 p.m.
In association with Canyon Cinema, we welcome celebrated filmmaker Janis Crystal Lipzin to present a screening of her recent work alongside selections from the Canyon Cinema collection.
Saturday, February 2, 2019 • 11:00 a.m., noon, and 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.
Explore the many forms shadows can take. Watch shadows stretch, intersect, multiply, and warp throughout the day.
Saturday, January 12, 2019 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.
In conjunction with our Curious Contraptions exhibition, this whimsical collection of expressive, short films celebrates wonder, frivolity, and ingenuity using the kinetic properties of the moving image.
Saturday, December 8, 2018 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.
In conjunction with our Curious Contraptions exhibition, this whimsical collection of expressive, short films celebrates wonder, frivolity, and ingenuity using the kinetic properties of the moving image.
Saturday, November 10, 2018 • 2:00 p.m.
In conjunction with our Curious Contraptions exhibition, this whimsical collection of expressive, short films celebrates wonder, frivolity, and ingenuity using the kinetic properties of the moving image.
Saturday, November 3, 2018 • 2:30 p.m.
Follow nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries and setbacks on their journey to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Saturday, October 6, 2018 • 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Explore an unusual film form in this hands-on workshop. Create 16mm “cinegrams,” hand-exposed moving images, by placing objects and materials that cast shadows directly onto film, and by using light.
Wednesday, August 1–Sunday, September 9, 2018 • Daily: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. + Thursday Evenings: 6:00–10:00 p.m. + Friday Evenings: 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Immerse yourself in oceanic narratives—from the microscopic lives of plankton to the complex relationships between humans and the world beneath the waves.
Saturday, June 16, 2018 • 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Observe and play in the glow of light, both natural and human-made. In this day-long festival, the transformative power of light and the human power of observation will be investigated through immersive artworks and hands-on activities.
Thursday, June 14, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Join artists Tristan Duke and Richard Tuohy for a conversation and film screenings. Get a deeper understanding of how caffeine affects the human nervous system and shapes behavior. And watch sewing artist PNosa embroider your ideas on fabric.
Thursday, June 14–Sunday, July 15, 2018
Step into an otherworldly portal and envelop yourself in distorted light and perpetually morphing visuals. Watch the walls melt away as the barrier between the material and virtual realms blur into infinity.
Thursday, June 14–Monday, August 20, 2018
In this commissioned artwork from Oakland-based artist Chris Fraser, the museum’s historic Pier 15 Bulkhead is the site of a large-scale light study that subtly traces the movement of the Sun.