The Northern California Chapter of ARCE is affiliated with the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Our meetings are held on the university campus.

The chapter was founded in 1995 to serve as a focal point for Egypt enthusiasts, whether ancient, early Christian, medieval, or modern. We meet ten months per year, leaving June and July dark. Our meetings include lectures by noted scholars from the United States and abroad. Light refreshments are served and time is allowed for socializing. As chapter fundraisers, we hold a raffle each meeting and conduct a souk, or market, each November and December where we sell Egyptian-themed objects.

Our monthly newsletter recaps our lectures for the benefit of anyone who is unable to attend or persons who wish to refer later to the information presented. Our popular website offers detailed information about the chapter and our events, including a compilation of past lectures.

Each year we offer a fellowship, named for one of our founders, Marie Buttery, to worthy graduate students.