Oakland Museum Launched AR Incarceration Exhibit
The new exhibit uses augmented reality to honor the experiences of Japanese Americans forced from their homes in 1942.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Historical
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The Oakland Museum of California has opened an augmented reality exhibit titled BeHere / 1942. It utilizes archival photography and modern technology to recreate the harrowing scenes of families facing forced removal during World War II.
Why it matters
The exhibit provides a visceral educational experience to help the public confront a dark chapter in American history. It ensures the stories of the thousands who were displaced are preserved for future generations.
Approximately 120,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated for three and a half years during the war. In Oakland alone, 1,790 residents were forced to leave their homes in 1940.
The players
Oakland Museum of California
This institution serves as the primary repository for the archives of Dorothea Lange.
Dorothea Lange
She was a renowned photographer who captured images of Japanese American residents under the War Relocation Authority.
Russell Lee
He was a documentary photographer whose work documented the displacement of Japanese Americans in 1942.
Fujihata
He is the creator of the augmented reality exhibit who previously launched a version in Los Angeles.
The details
Visitors use iPads and replica camera viewfinders to engage with AR recreations featuring camp survivors and their descendants. The installation draws on the museum’s extensive archives of photographers Dorothea Lange and Russell Lee, who documented the removal process under the War Relocation Authority.
Timeline
1940: Oakland's Japanese American community population count.
1942: Forced removal of Japanese Americans.
2022: Fujihata created Los Angeles version of exhibit.
October 2026: Exhibit opens at Oakland Museum of California.
Culture Shift
This installation reflects a broader trend of using immersive technology to engage younger audiences with traumatic historical events. By digitizing archives like those of the 1942 Japanese American forced removal, museums are shifting from static displays to interactive, emotional storytelling.
Residents can visit the museum to participate in this interactive experience and gain a deeper understanding of the local displacement that occurred in their own community. The exhibit provides a new way for families to connect with the history of the 1,790 Oakland residents affected in 1940.
The takeaway
The use of augmented reality serves as a bridge between historical archives and the present day, keeping vital memories alive. Visitors are encouraged to explore these digital recreations to understand how policy decisions once fundamentally altered the lives of local families.
Further reading
Discover more about the local legacy at Oakland Historical.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports.
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