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On the corner of Ramona Street and Forest Avenue, a block from City Hall, a Spanish Revival building holds classrooms, studios and two galleries. This is the Pacific Art League, a nonprofit art school and exhibition space that began in 1921 as a club of Palo Alto artists. It is the easiest place in town to see work by local and regional artists for free and one of the busiest places to take an art class.
This page covers the league's history, its building, what the galleries show, how classes work, current hours and what is nearby. For a wider look at the local scene, see our guides to art galleries and art classes for adults.
From the Palo Alto Art Club to PAL
The league traces its start to 1921, when about 40 artists formed the Palo Alto Art Club. The league says many of them were connected to Stanford and that the club began as a gathering place for artists of fairly comfortable means. Among the early names it highlights is Elizabeth Norton, a sculptor, printmaker and painter it counts among its first founders. Another is Arthur Bridgman Clark, the first head of Stanford's art and architecture department.
The club had no home at first. Members met in each other's houses, then at the Palo Alto Library. In 1926 the club moved to 340 Melville Avenue. In 1952, with its classes growing, it moved again to 855 Cowper Street. In 1965 it bought its present building at 668 Ramona Street.
Over the decades the club opened up. It shifted from an exclusive circle into a nonprofit open to anyone who wanted to learn or show. In 1984 it took the name Pacific Art League, often shortened to PAL, to reflect a reach beyond Palo Alto. The fall 2026 anniversary show marks 105 years since the founding.
The league's list of notable artists tied to PAL reads like a short history of Bay Area art. It includes the California Impressionist Shirley Williamson, the landscape painter Ray Strong, the woodcut and linocut printmaker Tom Killion and Greg Brown, the muralist whose trompe l'oeil figures still surprise people on downtown walls. Our public art guide shows where to find Brown's surviving murals.
The Birge Clark building
The league's home is a Spanish Revival building designed by Birge Clark, the architect behind much of downtown's red tile and stucco look. Clark was the son of Arthur Bridgman Clark, the early club member, so the building closes a family circle. The league lists Birge Clark himself among the notable artists connected to PAL.
A $4 million renovation in 2014 brought the building up to modern standards. The league says the work added accessibility upgrades under the Americans with Disabilities Act and a seismic retrofit while keeping its historic character.
The newest addition is outside. In February 2026 the Berkeley artist Nigel Sussman painted Palo Alto Discoveries across the building's alley wall, a dense graphic mural that layers local history, buildings, plants and animals. Sussman consulted historians, librarians, residents and league staff. Our guide to murals and street art covers it alongside the city's other new walls.
The galleries and the 105th anniversary show
The league runs exhibitions in rooms it calls the Forest Gallery and the Ramona Gallery, after the two streets the building faces. Shows rotate every few weeks. Member exhibitions, juried shows and instructor showcases are the regular mix, which makes this a good place to see what Bay Area artists are making now rather than a museum survey.
The big show this season is the 105th Anniversary Exhibition and Fundraiser, running from November 6, 2026 to January 12, 2027. Key details:
- Opening reception: Friday, November 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Format: A salon-style show that doubles as the league's annual fundraiser. Proceeds support education programs, community outreach and exhibitions.
- Juror: Nadya Chuprina, public art program coordinator for the City of Palo Alto.
- Galleries: The page names the Ramona, Forest and Central galleries.
- Extra Saturday hours: Noon to 4 p.m. on November 14 and 21 and December 5 and 19. The page also lists November 17, which is a Tuesday and falls in regular hours anyway.
Ask at the front desk how sales work for a given show, since the league's page does not spell out the sales structure.
Classes and workshops
Teaching is the league's core. It describes about 35 to 40 instructors and more than 2,000 students a quarter, figures Wikipedia attributes to 2017. Classes run in quarterly sessions with shorter workshops and summer camps in between.
- Fall 2026 catalog. Drawing, painting, printmaking and mixed media for a range of experience levels.
- Yumiko Tsumura Oil Painting Atelier. A program announced for 2027. Details are on the league's atelier page.
- Community art events. Free sessions for making, exploring and connecting.
- Corporate team building. Hands-on workshops for company groups, led by league instructors.
Membership costs $100 a year and gives 10% off most classes, plus other benefits. Membership money supports exhibitions, outreach, school programs and scholarships. Class pages list a regular price and a member price. Browse the class listings to see what is open. The city's Palo Alto Art Center on Newell Road runs a parallel program of studio classes if you want to compare.
Hours and visiting
As of November 1, 2026, the league lists gallery and office hours of Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday visits by appointment only. That makes a weekday lunch break or a Friday afternoon the easiest time to drop in. Call (650) 321-3891 or email info@pacificartleague.org to book a weekend visit.
Good to know
- The galleries are free during open hours.
- The 2014 renovation added accessibility upgrades. Call ahead if you need details on a particular room.
- Shows change often. Check the exhibits page before you go.
- Walk down the alley beside the building to see Nigel Sussman's mural.
Getting there and parking
The league is at 668 Ramona Street at Forest Avenue, two blocks south of University Avenue. From the Palo Alto Caltrain station it is about a 10 minute walk: head up University Avenue, turn right on Ramona and walk two blocks. Downtown street and lot parking is mostly limited to two hours. Our guide to downtown parking garages lists the city garages within a few blocks.
What is nearby
The Downtown Library is a short walk along Forest Avenue and City Hall with King Plaza sits just behind it. The 500 block of Ramona, between University and Hamilton, is a car-free street of Spanish Revival buildings. For more art in a day, our art lovers weekend strings together the downtown galleries, the Art Center and the Stanford museums. Our downtown architecture walk passes the league's door.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Pacific Art League gallery hours?
The league lists gallery and office hours of Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with weekend visits by appointment. For the 105th anniversary show it added Saturday hours from noon to 4 p.m. on November 14 and 21 and December 5 and 19, 2026.
Is the Pacific Art League free to visit?
Yes. The galleries are free to visit during open hours. Classes, workshops and membership cost money and the opening reception for the anniversary show is listed as part of an annual fundraiser.
When was the Pacific Art League founded?
It was founded in 1921 as the Palo Alto Art Club by about 40 artists, many with Stanford ties. It bought its current building at 668 Ramona Street in 1965 and changed its name to the Pacific Art League in 1984.
What classes does the Pacific Art League offer?
Its fall 2026 catalog covers drawing, painting, printmaking and mixed media for a range of levels, along with shorter workshops. It has announced the Yumiko Tsumura Oil Painting Atelier for 2027. Members pay $100 a year and get 10% off most classes.
What is on at the Pacific Art League in late 2026?
The 105th Anniversary Exhibition and Fundraiser runs from November 6, 2026 to January 12, 2027. The opening reception is Friday, November 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The juror is Nadya Chuprina, public art program coordinator for the City of Palo Alto.