
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is a combined art museum and repertory cinema in Berkeley, affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley. Renowned for its extensive art and film collections, dynamic exhibitions, and scholarly programs, BAMPFA is a cornerstone of cultural life in the Bay Area.
Founded in 1963, the museum's origins trace back to a significant donation by artist and teacher Hans Hofmann, who gifted 45 paintings and $250,000 to UC Berkeley. The museum opened in 1970 in a Brutalist building designed by Mario Ciampi, but seismic safety concerns in 1997 led to the addition of iron braces and the eventual relocation to a retrofitted Art Deco building—formerly the UC Press printing plant—near UC Berkeley’s main entrance. This building, listed on the California Register of Historic Resources, reflects the institution’s commitment to preserving history while creating innovative spaces.
BAMPFA's collection features over 22,000 works, including Chinese Ming and Qing paintings, Indian Mughal miniatures, Baroque art, and contemporary pieces. Highlights include African-American quilts from the Eli Leon Collection, with over 500 by Rosie Lee Tompkins, celebrated in a 2020 New York Times-praised retrospective. Other notable acquisitions, like the Fernando Botero Abu Ghraib Series and Steven Leiber’s Conceptual Art Collection, cement its role in contemporary and conceptual art studies. The MATRIX Program has showcased icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, with the 2025 exhibition Rooted West focusing on African-American quilts in California.
Founded in 1966 by Sheldon Renan, the Pacific Film Archive houses one of the largest Japanese film collections outside Japan, alongside 16,000 other films and videos. PFA’s programming emphasizes critical and theoretical contexts, offering audiences deeper insights through lectures, filmmaker visits, and curated series. Its resources include an extensive library and online catalogs for researchers and enthusiasts.
With a blend of historical depth and contemporary focus, BAMPFA bridges art and film, scholarship, and public access. Its exhibitions, programs, and collections ensure it remains a vibrant institution that inspires and educates, rooted firmly in Berkeley’s intellectual and cultural fabric.
Founded in 1963, the museum's origins trace back to a significant donation by artist and teacher Hans Hofmann, who gifted 45 paintings and $250,000 to UC Berkeley. The museum opened in 1970 in a Brutalist building designed by Mario Ciampi, but seismic safety concerns in 1997 led to the addition of iron braces and the eventual relocation to a retrofitted Art Deco building—formerly the UC Press printing plant—near UC Berkeley’s main entrance. This building, listed on the California Register of Historic Resources, reflects the institution’s commitment to preserving history while creating innovative spaces.
BAMPFA's collection features over 22,000 works, including Chinese Ming and Qing paintings, Indian Mughal miniatures, Baroque art, and contemporary pieces. Highlights include African-American quilts from the Eli Leon Collection, with over 500 by Rosie Lee Tompkins, celebrated in a 2020 New York Times-praised retrospective. Other notable acquisitions, like the Fernando Botero Abu Ghraib Series and Steven Leiber’s Conceptual Art Collection, cement its role in contemporary and conceptual art studies. The MATRIX Program has showcased icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, with the 2025 exhibition Rooted West focusing on African-American quilts in California.
Founded in 1966 by Sheldon Renan, the Pacific Film Archive houses one of the largest Japanese film collections outside Japan, alongside 16,000 other films and videos. PFA’s programming emphasizes critical and theoretical contexts, offering audiences deeper insights through lectures, filmmaker visits, and curated series. Its resources include an extensive library and online catalogs for researchers and enthusiasts.
With a blend of historical depth and contemporary focus, BAMPFA bridges art and film, scholarship, and public access. Its exhibitions, programs, and collections ensure it remains a vibrant institution that inspires and educates, rooted firmly in Berkeley’s intellectual and cultural fabric.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Berkeley. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive on Map






Sight Name: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Sight Location: Berkeley, USA (See walking tours in Berkeley)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Sight Location: Berkeley, USA (See walking tours in Berkeley)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Walking Tours in Berkeley, California
Create Your Own Walk in Berkeley
Creating your own self-guided walk in Berkeley is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Telegraph Avenue Shopping
In addition to other attractions, the colorful and joyful city of Berkeley, California offers a wide variety of places to shop. Perhaps the most notable among them is Telegraph Avenue, a vibrant and eclectic thoroughfare, featuring a unique blend of cultural diversity and youthful energy.
One of the standout landmarks on Telegraph Avenue is the Berkeley Hat Company. Here, you'll find an... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
One of the standout landmarks on Telegraph Avenue is the Berkeley Hat Company. Here, you'll find an... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
Berkeley Introduction Walking Tour
The Ohlone people were the original inhabitants of the area that is now known as Berkeley, California. Many of them were casualties of the presence of the first settlers of European descent who arrived with the De Anza Expedition of 1776.
Among the soldiers in this expedition was Luis Peralta, who was gifted the land that would become Berkeley by the King of Spain. Peralta gifted the land to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Among the soldiers in this expedition was Luis Peralta, who was gifted the land that would become Berkeley by the King of Spain. Peralta gifted the land to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
University of California in Berkeley Walking Tour
The University of California, Berkeley, often referred to as UC Berkeley or simply Berkeley, is a part of the larger University of California system, known for its distinguished academics and vibrant campus life. The UC Berkeley campus is the core of Berkeley's attractions. Its design resulted from an 1898 architectural competition, with each building having its own story to tell.
Start... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Start... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Berkeley's Historic Landmarks Walking Tour
Berkeley, California, boasts a fair amount of landmarks distinguished for their historical value and representative of the city’s architectural beauty.
One such gem is the Thorsen House, an iconic residence designed by the renowned architectural firm Greene and Green, showcasing the American Craftsman style.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, is another notable sight. Its mixed design... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
One such gem is the Thorsen House, an iconic residence designed by the renowned architectural firm Greene and Green, showcasing the American Craftsman style.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, is another notable sight. Its mixed design... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles