| National Bonsai & Penjing Museum 2011 Events |
Jan 2 – Jan 16
10 – 4
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. 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. |
Jan 29 – Mar 27
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Year of the Rabbit A New Year Stone Exhibit:
Hop into the Year of the Rabbit with an auspicious visit to the Bonsai Museum. See how many rabbits you can find among the viewing stones! This special exhibit will celebrate the transition from winter to spring that Asian cultures traditionally considered the beginning of a new year. |
Apr 1 – Apr 17
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Ikebana International Exhibit
Enjoy spring flowers with a Japanese twist! 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 exhibit, so plan many visits to see everything. Master teachers from four different schools will give free ikebana demonstrations in the museum’s Lecture/Demonstration Center on April 2, 3, 10, and 16 at 1. |
May 6 – May 8 |
Potomac Bonsai Festival
Co-sponsored by the Potomac Bonsai Association (PBA), the National Bonsai Foundation, and the U.S. National Arboretum, this unique festival features a show of PBA member trees, a new-talent competition 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 masters Harry Hirao, Chase Rosade and Julian Adams. There will also be fee-based workshops. Visit www.usna.usda.gov February 1 for more details. |
May 19 – May 22
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Ikebana by the Book
Arrangements by the Japanese Embassy Sogetsu Group
The Sogetsu School of Ikebana was founded in 1927 to bring the ancient art of ikebana into the modern age. It has become one of the most popular schools, in part, because the teaching method allows even beginners to easily create beautiful arrangements. This exhibit features arrangements by ikebana students affiliated with the Japanese Embassy. Guided by sensei Sachiko Furlan, a noted ikebana instructor, they’ve created living arrangements to illustrate their mastery of the eight basic styles and a few more advanced styles covered in the Sogetsu Workbook I. |
May 28 – Jun 12
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Bonsai Bling: Azalea Bonsai in Bloom
In Japan, it is said that the beauty of an azalea bonsai in bloom is like the beauty of a courtesan dressed in her finest brocade kimono. Breathtaking blossoms cover these late-blooming Satsuki azaleas, miniature in form, but covered with full-sized flowers. This annual spring exhibit showcases the most spectacular examples. |
Jun 18 – Jun 19
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibit: The Legacy of Mary Sugiyama
Ikebana teachers and 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 19, at 1 pm. |
Jun 25 – Aug 28
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Becoming a Bonsai
How do they do that? See the steps involved in creating a bonsai, and witness 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 3 – Sep 4
Sep 10 – Sep 11
Sep 17 – Sep 18
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Potomac Bonsai Association Club Exhibits
Bonsai enthusiasts from local clubs display their trees during these three weekend exhibitions. On two Sundays, September 11 and September 18, at 1 pm, PBA club members will give free demonstrations and answer questions about how bonsai are created and trained. |
Sep 30 – Oct 2
10 – 4
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 master teacher will give a demonstration on Sunday, October 2, at 1 pm. |
Oct 8 – Oct 10
10 – 5
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
64th Annual Orchid Show
See spectacular displays of thousands of blooming orchid plants in the International Pavilion and Special Exhibits Wing. The National Capital Orchid Society presents its 64th Annual Orchid Show and Sale. A vendor tent and free demonstrations will be available throughout the holiday weekend. Information related to the show is available at www.ncos.us. |
Oct 15 – Nov 13
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Flaming Trees and Frozen Mums
See red maples, yellow ginkgos and fruited trees in the Museum’s permanent collection pavilions. The Special Exhibits Wing features formal displays with select trees during their peak fall colors, interspersed with chrysanthemum stones—stones from China and Japan that appear to contain frozen or fossilized flowers. These “frozen mums” are, in fact, natural crystal formations in the stone. |
Nov 19 – Dec 18
10 – 4
Special Exhibits Wing
Free |
Potomac Viewing Stone Group Annual Exhibit
Inspired by the Asian traditions of stone appreciation, members of the Potomac Viewing Stone Group will exhibit their stones from China, Japan, Europe, and North America. Join members on Sunday, December 18, at 1 pm for an informal tour in the exhibit. |
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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 17), Washington’s Birthday (Feb 21), Veteran’s Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 24), and Christmas (Dec 25&26). |
