Happy holidays and happy new year from everyone at Friends of the National Arboretum! Thank you for being a part of our community and for making the National Arboretum such a special place. We have enjoyed connecting you and many others to science, nature, and well-being at the Arboretum this year.

Thank you in particular to all of our members, volunteers, and program partners. Your support makes our work possible! Thank you for donating your financial resources, time, and expertise to help make FONA the best nonprofit partner it can be to the National Arboretum.

For key 2024 highlights, please read the end-of-year letter from Craven Rand, FONA's Executive Director, and Martha Van Dale, FONA's new Board Chair. We look forward to seeing you at the Arboretum in 2025!

Read the Executive Letter >

Enjoy the winter beauty of the National Arboretum this holiday season! Discover colorful winter-blooming camellias in the Asian Collections, watch wildlife flourish along Springhouse Run, or appreciate miniature horticultural masterpieces in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM to 5 PM, except on December 25th. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is open every day from 10 AM to 4 PM, but is closed on all federal holidays from November through February. The Museum and Visitor Center will also be closed on December 24th. Admission and parking at the Arboretum are free.

Learn More About Visiting the Arboretum >

Join our team as a Visitor Programs Manager! This full-time, permanent position will coordinate FONA's visitor programs at the National Arboretum, focusing on community events and partnership programs.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on January 6th, with an expected cutoff date of January 20th, 2025. This position is expected to start in February 2025.

Apply for the Visitor Programs Manager Position >

Donate to FONA before the end of the year and become a partner in our work. Your support makes it possible for FONA to connect people with science, nature, and well-being at the U.S. National Arboretum.

When you donate or make an additional year-end gift, you will become a FONA member and receive special perks. You will also join our growing community of supporters!

Donate Today >

In case you missed it, our most recent Stories from the Field article explores Dr. Margaret Pooler's career contributions to the National Arboretum and the American nursery industry.

Dr. Pooler is the Research Leader of the Arboretum's Floral and Nursery Research Unit. She and her talented team of plant geneticists and breeders develop hardier plants more resilient to climate fluctuations, diseases, and pests. You might recognize some of the ornamental plants that she has helped breed and introduce into the nursery industry.

Read the Article for the Full Story >

Submissions are open for the Cherry Blossom Photography Contest, hosted by the Japan Information & Culture Center of the Embassy of Japan. Photographers are invited to submit cherry blossom-themed photographs that capture the essence of cherry blossoms as a symbol of the friendship between Japan and the United States. Submissions will close on January 12th, 2025.

Learn More About the Contest >

New Year's Eve Forest Bathing

December 31, 9 AM, 12 PM, 2:30 PM

Meditation and mindfulness

Add Your Name to the Waitlist >

Spring into School Gardening

Saturday, March 22

Free resources for educators, in WYG

Save the date — more info coming soon

Flowering 5K

Sunday, March 23

Run or walk through collections in bloom

Save the date — more info coming soon

Native Plant Sale

Saturday, March 29

Local native plant vendors, hosted by FONA

Save the date — more info coming soon

38th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium

Saturday, March 29

Learn from experts about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems, hosted by USNA

Save the date — more info coming soon