Dec 26 – Feb 7
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing Free

Asian Tradition of Stone Appreciation
For centuries in Asia, certain stones have been revered and appreciated as natural works of art. Members from the Potomac Viewing Stone Group, a regional organization dedicated to stone appreciation, present an exhibit of Chinese and Japanese stones from their collections. A member of their group offers a lecture on traditional stone appreciation on Sunday, February 7 from 1 – 2:30 pm in the Lecture/Demonstration Center.

Feb 13 – Mar 28
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing Free

American Stone Appreciation
Inspired by the Asian traditions of stone appreciation, members of the Potomac Viewing Stone Group exhibit stones collected in North America. How different are these from the traditional Chinese and Japanese stones on view in the adjoining International Pavilion? Join members on Sunday, March 28 at 1 pm for an informal tour.

Apr 2 – Apr 25
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Ikebana International Exhibit
Enjoy spring flowers with a Japanese twist! April is ikebana month at the Museum. The Washington D.C. Chapter of Ikebana International will exhibit flower arrangements representing a variety of ikebana schools and styles. The installation will change several times during the 24-day exhibit, so plan many visits to see everything. Master teachers will give free ikebana demonstrations in the Museum’s Lecture/Demonstration Center on Sundays, April 4, 11, 18, 25 at 1 pm.

Apr 30 – May 2

Potomac Bonsai Festival
Co-sponsored by the Potomac Bonsai Association, the National Bonsai Foundation, and the U.S. National Arboretum, this unique festival features an indoor exhibit of PBA member trees and a vendor tent filled with bonsai trees and supplies. A juried exhibit of bonsai will be on view in the Special Exhibits Wing. Free demonstrations will be given by PBA members and bonsai master Steven Tolley from the U.K. There will also be fee-based workshops. Visit www.usna.usda.gov for more details.

May 8 – 16
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Potomac Bonsai Association Exhibit
Bonsai enthusiasts from three local clubs display their creations during this exhibition of trees from their private collections. On Sunday, May 16 at 1 pm a club member will give a free demonstration and answer questions about how bonsai are created and trained.

May 29 – Jun 13
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai
Breathtaking blossoms cover these late-blooming azaleas, miniature in form, but covered with full-sized flowers. This annual spring exhibit showcases the most spectacular examples.

Jun 19 – 20
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibit: The Legacy of Mary Sugiyama
Ikebana students from throughout the United States and Japan return to the Arboretum for this annual tribute to their teacher, the late Mary Sugiyama. There will be a free ikebana demonstration Sunday, June 20 at 1 pm.

Jun 26 – Sep 12
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Becoming a Bonsai
How do they do that? See the steps involved in creating a bonsai. Photographs show how a common crape myrtle is transformed into a charming bonsai through pruning, wiring, and repotting. Artifacts from the Museum’s collection will also be displayed, including tools used by bonsai masters Toshio Kawamoto, John Naka and Yuji Yoshimura.

Sep 18 – 26
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Potomac Bonsai Association Exhibit
Bonsai enthusiasts from local clubs display their creations during this exhibition of trees from their private collections. On Sunday, September 26 at 1 pm a club member will give a free demonstration and answer questions about how bonsai are created and trained.

Oct 2 – 3
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Autumn Ikebana Exhibit:
Sogetsu School, Washington DC
Sogetsu ikebana style is deeply rooted in Japanese tradition, yet embraces the modern age. Sogetsu promotes an ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging, of no limits in which designers use plant materials of any type to create sculptural compositions. A Sogetsu teacher will create several types of arrangements in the Lecture/Demonstration Center on Sunday, October 3 at 1 pm.

Oct 9 – 17
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Orchid Show
See spectacular displays of thousands of blooming orchid plants. The National Capital Orchid Society presents its 63rd Annual Orchid Show. A vendor tent and free workshops will be available the opening holiday weekend (October 8-10). Information related to the show is available at www.ncos.us.

Oct 23 – Nov 7
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Fall Fruit & Foliage
This annual show is one of the most popular seasonal exhibits of the year. No need to go all the way to Skyline Drive in Virginia to enjoy beautiful fall colors. See red maples, yellow ginkgos and fruited trees in the Museum’s permanent collection pavilions. The Special Exhibits Wing features select trees during their peak colors.

Jan 2 – 17, 2011
10 – 4:00
Special Exhibits Wing
Free

Winter Silhouettes
Winter is the best time to enjoy the true mastery of the art of bonsai by observing the “bare bones” of the trees. With no leaves, the structure of a deciduous bonsai reveals how well the artist has created his miniaturized version of nature. The bonsai curator has selected trees from the Museum’s permanent collection for a formal display of these living artworks. Other trees from the permanent collection will be on view throughout the winter in the covered Chinese Pavilion and the Tropical Greenhouse.

Workshops, Lectures & Demonstrations
Please check for listings at www.bonsai-nbf.org.
Register online at www.usna.usda.gov or call 202-245-5898.

Museum Hours
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Closed New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 18),
President’s Day (Feb 15), Veteran’s Day (Nov 11),
Thanksgiving Day (Nov 25), and Christmas Day (Dec 25).