Gallery House was founded in 1958 as part of the Palo Alto Consumers' Co-op to provide holiday sales of local artists' works; however, within two years the members established a permanent venue to show their works on the peninsula. The first exhibition space was in a residence in College Terrace, followed by 8 years in the Ladera Shopping Center.

In 1962 the Gallery moved to the 538 Ramona Street location (downtown Palo Alto). Gallery House has been a permanent showcase for local artists, some of whom (such as Jean Laury, Bella Tabak Feldman, and Carrie Abromovitz) have become national figures in the art scene. We have sponsored prestigious juried exhibitions and hosted the first competitive print show on the Peninsula in the 1960s.

In the formative years, an Auxiliary of art patrons helped to promote the Gallery with special events. The late Artemus Ginzton established a rental gallery and Betty Duveneck hosted benefit dinners. The Wallace Stegners and William Hewletts were supporters of these events.

The members operate the gallery under the direction of an elected Board of Directors. Gallery members include painters, sculptors, printers, ceramicists, jewelers, photographers and mixed media artists who exhibit in styles ranging from photo-realism to impressionistic to abstraction, demonstrating the wide diversity and high quality of local artistic work.