"From living in an internment camp at six months of age to becoming a senior member of the United States House of Representatives, Bob Matsui’s life demonstrated both the promise of America and the responsibility to fight for the powerless in America."
President Bill Clinton, 2005

Born and raised in Sacramento, Matsui attended McClatchy High School and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Hastings College of Law before opening his own Sacramento law practice in 1967. He was elected to the Sacramento City Council and served for seven years including a term as vice mayor. Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978, Representative Robert T. Matsui served the Sacramento region and the nation for over twenty-six years.

Dedication of the Robert T. Matsui Gallery at City Hall took place on April 14, 2009.