The NBF or more commonly known as the National Bonsai Foundation, is a nonprofit organization that was created to sustain the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. The National Bonsai Founder, also helps the United States National Arboretum show Bonsai and Penjing art. The museum itself is located on the 446 acres on the campus of the US National Arboretum in Washington. Arboretum director Tom Elias says “This is the first true bonsai museum anywhere in the world, and it’s also the largest and most comprehensive one in the western world…We have the finest collection of mature bonsai outside of Japan.” Each year over 200,000 people visit the museum.

In the year of 1976, the country of Japan gave the US a gift of fifty three Bonsai Trees. These trees were selected by the Nippon Bonsai Association, with the financial assistance from the Japan Foundation. Arriving at the Potomac Bonsai Association, volunteers worked with the US National Arboretum to keep the trees in display condition. 1979 is the year that Janet Lanman talked with DR. John Creech (Director of the Arboretum) about possibly adding American bonsai to the museum.

Dr. Creech proposed this idea to well known Bonsai teacher Marion Gyllenswan. An independent body of Bonsai authorities was assigned to review private Bonsai collections, possibly as a part of a national collection. These Bonsai authorities were called the National Bonsai Committee. In 1982, the National Bonsai Committee was reformed into the National Bonsai Foundation. The National Bonsai Foundation recruited people from all across the country to be directors. The members of the first Board were Marybel Balendonck, Larry Ragle, Melba Tucker, Frederic Ballard, and H. William Merritt. Mary Ann Orlando served as the Executive Director and principal fund raiser for the National Bonsai Foundation.

On the tenth anniversary of the gift from Japan (in 1986), the National Bonsai Foundation announced that they would be building the American Bonsai Pavilion to compliment the Japanese Pavillion. It was also announced that it would showcase a collection of North American Bonsai. In 1990 it finally became a reality. October 1st, 1990 the American Bonsai Pavilion was dedicated to two American Bonsai Masters. The Yuji Yoshimura Educational Center is a work space, and a classroom. The John Y. Naka North American Pavilion provides the display area for the North American bonsai collection.