Oakland Museum of California

The art collection includes sketches by early explorers and genre pictures from the Gold Rush, along with sculpture, landscapes and Bay Area figurative, pop and funk works. The Hall of California Ecology uses stuffed animals to show the local range of habitats, while the Cowell Hall of California History houses curiosities going back to the Spanish incursion. The collection of priceless Chinese artefacts includes some stunning pieces. In March, the museum hosts a huge White Elephant Sale, renowned for unbelievable bargains, in a warehouse near the Oakland estuary.