The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum can be called, without exaggeration, one of the most picturesque and original attractions in Washington for true connoisseurs of the plant world. After all, one cannot argue with the fact that tiny masterpieces - miniature trees and entire landscape compositions - are the quintessence of gardening skill.
An excursion into history
Today, the Bonsai and Penjing Museum has one of the richest and most diverse collections of miniature trees in North America. Its history began back in 1975 with fifty-three small trees given as a gift to the United States of America by the Japanese government. A significant role in this history was played byBonsai Master Yuji Yoshimura. Especially for this purpose, representatives of the Japanese Bonsai Society selected the best specimens of botanical art in their homeland. They approached the transportation with all due responsibility, and upon the arrival of such a valuable cargo in the capital of the USA, together with the best employees of the National Arboretum and participants of the Potomac Bonsai Association, they began to create optimal conditions for the development of tiny trees in the new climatic region.
For a whole year, the unique living gift was kept in quarantine storage in the state of Maryland. And in July 1976, at an official ceremony with the participation of many high-ranking officials of the USA and Japan, a delegation from the Land of the Rising Sun solemnly handed over the beautiful collection of bonsai to the US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who gratefully accepted the gift and made a speech on behalf of the entire American people.
Over the years, the collection was replenished with new beautiful plants and today visitors can get moral pleasure from touching the deep mystical Asian culture walking through three pavilions and admiring more than 150 original miniature plants. Representatives of Japan made every effort to instill Japanese bonsai traditions in American citizens and their efforts were crowned with success - today this art has many sincere adherents in the New World.
National Bonsai & Penjing Museum – Modern Realities
Today, anyone can admire the wonderful compositions of the National Bonsai Foundation of the United States of America by visiting the District of Columbia. Going to the northeastern part of Washington, near the Capitol, you can contemplate the picturesque landscapes of the National Arboretum of the United States.
The Bonsai & Penjing Museum is open from 10:00 to 16:00, except on national holidays and weekends.
During the winter months, all collections are moved to the Chinese Pavilion, while the North American and Japanese Pavilions are closed during the cold season.
Museum staff are very strict about visitors observing the rules of conduct; the following is prohibited on the premises:
- smoke,
- bring food and alcohol,
- take your bicycle and pets with you (the only exception is for guide dogs).
This place is a concentration of ancient Asian culture and modern American traditions. True connoisseurs of bonsai and penjing simply must visit the National Bonsai Foundation in the USA at least once in their life and see original examples of this botanical art, many of which are more than 150 years old.
