Euphrat Museum

The Euphrat Museum is named in the honor of Helen Euphrat or for that matter the Euphrat family. As a young boy my friends and I would ride our Stingray bicycles through the apricot and prune orchards from Saratoga to Sunnyvale, rarely seeing a paved road. We passed through the old DeAnza College property where the Euphrat family lived. Eventually we made it to the railroad tracks and hunker under small four-foot trestles. We spent hours smashing pennies on the tracks and trembling as the trains roared over us.

Little did we know that the Euphrat ranch would become DeAnza College and house one of the most influential art centers in Silicon Valley. For 40 years Euphrat Museum focused on communication by learning the arts. The gallery emphasizes art fundamentals that can be used to express political, social, historical issues, communication, and storytelling with art.

The accomplished artists featured are from all ages, with professional mentors teaching and expanding the skills of emerging ambitious artists. In addition to the creative art exhibits, the volunteers and staff mentor “at risk children”. They give them a method to communicate through art, addressing important issues that impact the community and their lives. I enjoy the shows at the Euphrat Museum and have been heartened by the diverse mix of artists from every culture, background, and age.

Nearby are three wonderful wineries on Montebello Road; Picchetti, Ridge, and Vidovich.