Persian Center

Okay, so impressed by the cultural gems of Berkeley. From the Thai Temple to Iskcon Temple to the German International School to who knows what else. The Persian Center is another hidden cultural gem of this town! I found out about it through an Iranian studies seminar I attended at UC Berkeley and then also visited the place during one of its bustling cultural festivals.
The actual building is a small house, marked by a beautiful fountain at the entrance, with rooms full of Persian texts, rugs, and select artwork. Very interesting to peruse.
Every year, during major Persian holidays such as Chaharshanbeh Soori and Nowruz, the Center hosts large street festivals featuring food, music, dance, and Persian vendors. Really great way to get a taste of Persian culture and open (free!) to anyone.
They also offer Farsi lessons for all ages as well as various seminars and workshops but most of these opportunities are geared to the Persian community rather than non-​natives.
I do hope they conduct more targeted outreach to the local Berkeley community (especially the college campus) because I know a lot of non-​Persians –such as myself– who are really interested in learning more about the culture.