How to Visit the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is a University of California, Berkeley unit dedicated to art and film since 1970.

Its collection includes more than 25,000 artworks and 18,000 films and videos, with strengths ranging from modern and contemporary art to historical Chinese painting, African American quilts, West Coast avant-garde film, international animation, Soviet cinema, early video art, and Japanese films.

The museum’s roots reach back to the Bacon Art and Library Building, which opened in 1881. The Pacific Film Archive was established under the museum in 1967, and its film program moved into the museum building in 1971. BAMPFA’s present home combines a former UC Berkeley printing plant with a new structure designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Set aside time for both sides of the institution if they interest you: galleries present art, while the film program offers screenings in the theater. The two formats make BAMPFA a distinctive choice among museums in Berkeley.

BAMPFA’s calendar covers exhibitions, film series, and individual screenings. Film programming has included retrospectives, restored films, thematic series, and screenings with guest speakers. Check the calendar for titles and dates that fit your visit; schedules change.

If you’re planning to pair a museum visit with a performance, the Berkeley Repertory Theatre guide has information about another downtown cultural venue.

The Film Library and Study Center is a separate option for research and viewing digitized works in drop-in carrels. It is open Wednesday through Friday, 1–5 p.m., by appointment, and does not require a museum admission ticket.

Galleries and the store are generally open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., and closed Monday and Tuesday. Seasonal hours may change when UC Berkeley is not in session. The film theater is generally closed Monday and Tuesday; screening times on other days appear on the film calendar.

Gallery admission is $18 general, $12 for listed discounted categories, $9 for adult groups with advance reservations, and $5 for youth ages 14–18.

Admission is free for BAMPFA members, UC Berkeley students, faculty and staff, children ages 0–13, SNAP participants through Museums for All, and listed reciprocal-program participants. Galleries are free to everyone on the first Thursday of each month.

General film admission is $18, with discounted prices of $12, $9, or $5 for categories listed by BAMPFA. Each film ticket includes gallery admission for the screening day. You can buy gallery and film tickets online or at the front desk. Before you go, check the official site for hours, prices, screening times, and ticket details.

BAMPFA is at 2155 Center Street in downtown Berkeley, between Oxford Street and Shattuck Avenue. The museum is one block from Downtown Berkeley BART station. AC Transit lines serving the area include 6, 7, 18, 22, 36, 51B, 52, 65, 67, 88, and F. For more on local connections, see the Berkeley public transit guide.

From Nash Hotel, it’s about a five-minute walk to BAMPFA, making the museum an easy downtown stop. Downtown Berkeley has metered street parking with two- and four-hour limits; payment is by credit or debit card. Nearby paid garages include Allston Way, Oxford, and Center Street.

Free wheelchairs are available at the admissions desk, and benches and chairs are located throughout the museum. For theater films, BAMPFA lists free assisted-listening, closed-captioning, and audio-description devices when the relevant option is available.

Service dogs and service miniature horses are welcome; pets and emotional-support animals are not permitted. Gallery photography and short videos are allowed without flash unless otherwise noted. Tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted, and recording devices are not allowed in the theater. You may sketch in the galleries with pencils and sketchbooks up to 11 by 17 inches.

Children 13 and under must stay with an adult. Visitors ages 14–18 may visit without an adult by submitting a valid school ID. Open food and drinks are not allowed in galleries; sealed items, including water bottles, must be packed inside a bag.

BAMPFA does not specify a recommended visit duration. Your schedule depends on how much time you want to spend with the exhibitions and whether you plan to attend a screening or another program.

If you’re seeing a film, check its start time and allow for the galleries within the same visit: the film ticket includes gallery admission for that screening day.