These beautiful benches are made from sturdy and resilient teak wood. They have a long lifespan, and mellow from golden amber to a warm sepia brown as they age.

There are two options: a 71” Linear teak bench with arms, placed outside in the Upper or Lower Courtyards of the Museum; and a 47” Stratus teak armless bench, placed inside the Special Exhibits Wing.

Yes, you will have the opportunity to customize an elegant plaque to be mounted on your bench. It will be an elegant, brushed stainless steel with black engraving, measuring 2.25 inches by 4.50 inches. There are specific text length guidelines. Please see the custom plaque form or contact us for more information.

For a generous, tax-deductible donation, you can dedicate a commemorative bench for a term of 15 years. There are two options: The 71” Linear bench is available for a donation of $6,000 and the 47” Stratus bench is available for a donation of $5,000.

You may also choose to help cover the cost of the plaque and hardware. Please contact us at 202.396.3510 or info@bonsai-nbf.org to hear more details about the process.

When you dedicate a commemorative bench, you are helping to care for an incredible collection of living art forms at the nation's first and finest bonsai museum. Your gift will be part of a historic artistic tradition that spans continents and cultures. And you are supporting the art of bonsai for generations to come.

Yes, your donation of a commemorative bench is tax-deductible to the extent of the law. Once payment is received, we will provide you with a tax acknowledgement for your records.

Payment may be made by credit card, cash, check, or stock transfer to the National Bonsai Foundation. When you are ready to purchase the bench, we will provide you with a secure payment form.

No, your tax-deductible donation sponsors the bench on behalf of the Museum and its visitors. Your commemoration is secured for the entire term of your donation.

Your bench will be placed in The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum located in the U.S. National Arboretum. There are pre-approved locations for benches in the Museum. NBF staff will review these with you so that you may select one of the available locations. Location requests are not guaranteed and must be approved in advance but we will do our best to accommodate your request.

The term of a commemorative bench is 15 years. As the end of the term approaches, we will contact you or another designated contact on file to discuss renewing or completing the term. If you would like the term of your bench to extend beyond the initial 15 years, you are welcome to purchase multiple terms at once.

The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum will be responsible for the care and maintenance of the bench. It will be replaced only if the bench is broken or deemed unsafe. Future changes to the Museum grounds might necessitate moving a bench. Although there is no guarantee that it will not be moved, every effort will be made to keep it in place.

The bench and plaque will be ordered once payment is received and we have your final, approved inscription for the plaque. Please allow six weeks for the bench and plaque to be ordered, received, and set in place. We will notify you as soon as it is ready.

Please contact us! We’d be happy to answer any of your questions and discuss the process with you further. You can also call us at 202.396.3510 or email info@bonsai-nbf.org.