The City of Oakland contains several very different neighborhoods with distinct cultures and people. Oakland has been a center for radical politics since the 1960s, and it is famous for being the home of both the Hell's Angels and the Black Panther Party. The Port of Oakland has a rich arts and entertainment community, boasting its association with many great writers (Jack London, Gertrude Stein, and Maya Angelou), popular actors, and many other notable personalities. The Port of Oakland is an ethnically diverse city where more than 150 languages are spoken and festivities and events reflect the wide range of cultures (Art and Soul Weekend, Cinco de Mayo Fruitvale Festival Parade, Chinatown Streetfest, etc.). Cruise passengers will want to refer to the Port of San Francisco.
The Port of Oakland enjoys a moderate Mediterranean-like climate. Summers are warm and dry, and winters are cool and wet. It is warmer than San Francisco and cooler than inland San Jose. The Port of Oakland is cloaked by maritime fog in the summer that burns off by lunchtime, after which it has typically warm California sun. Temperatures in the Port of Oakland range from an average high of 24 °C (75 °F) in September to an average low of 7 °C (45 °F) in December and January.
One of the most popular attractions in the Port of Oakland is the Chabot Space & Science Center, a 799 square meter facility containing the biggest public telescope in the United States. It also has a 230-seat planetarium and the big-screen Tien MegaDome theater. The theater is a 21-meter dome-screen auditorium with an advanced projection system that features larger-than-life films that make real the experiences of being aboard a space shuttle, sailing through outer space, and exploring the ocean floor. The Ask Jeeves Planetarium is a full-dome digital projection system that presents images to surround the audience with sights and sounds of the universe.
The Port of Oakland's African American Museum and Library (AAMLO) preserves and interprets the experiences of black Americans in California and the West. Traveling and original exhibits focus on the art, history, and culture of African Americans. The AAMLO's archives contain more than 160 collections of diaries from prominent families, pioneers, churches, and organizations in the Northern California and Bay Area. Newspapers like the Freedom's Journal, Liberator, Muhammed Speaks, and the Black Panther are stored on microfilm for viewing. The oral history collection contains interviews with local African American leaders, writers, educators, and musicians. The Eternal Voices video library contains over 80 years of black East Bay history. The library and archives also contain primary research information on the slavery experience, military service, and many other topics relevant to African Americans in America.
Children's Fairyland in the Port of Oakland is dedicated to young children. This three-dimensional fantasy world brings popular nursery rhymes to life in Lakeside Park. Families will love the storybook sets, child-friendly rides, animals, puppet shows, and live entertainment. The park is also available for special events like birthdays, sleepovers, summer camp, and field trips. In Children's Fairyland, you can really walk the yellow brick road!
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