Ocean Photographer of the Year Exhibit – Alameda Exhibition

The world’s leading ocean photography exhibition, Ocean Photographer of the Year, comes to the United States for the first time. Step inside a historic World War II airplane hangar at Alameda Point (Alameda, CA) and experience the ocean like never before. Presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain, this vast industrial space is transformed into an immersive gallery of the world’s most extraordinary ocean photography.

Drawn from more than 15,000 submissions by photographers around the globe, the exhibition features a curated selection of winning and finalist images spanning wildlife, adventure, fine art, conservation, and human connection. From intimate macro encounters to sweeping underwater and aerial perspectives, each photograph captures both the breathtaking beauty of the sea and the urgent need to protect it.

In addition to the international exhibition, visitors are invited to a series of special events, and to explore Bay Perspectives, a dedicated gallery and interactive space that connects global ocean stories to the waters closer to home. Bay Perspectives features “Edge of the Pacific:  Bay Perspectives,” an exhibition of local ocean photography curated by Jan Watten (Gray Loft Gallery) and Nick Winkworth (Bay Area Photographers Collective). These locally-rooted works highlight the San Francisco Bay, California coastline, and the everyday relationships between community and ocean.

Sharing the space, the Sailing Science Center presents hands-on marine science exhibits where visitors can engage directly with ocean processes such as tides, wave formation, and the impacts of marine plastics—deepening understanding through play, inquiry, and discovery. Together, the Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition and the Bay Perspectives gallery bridge art and science, global perspective, and local experience, inspiring stewardship through both emotional connection and knowledge.

Hosted by West End Arts District and partner Bay Photo Lab, exhibition and special events tickets are available at westendartsdistrict.org.

Youth discounts available. Plus, 20% off all tickets if ordered by April 1, 2026.