The National Bonsai and Penjing Collection image

The National Bonsai and Penjing Collection

Tourist attraction

One of the Best Places To Visits in District of Molonglo Valley


Address

Forest Dr, Australian Capital Territory 2611, Australia

Website

www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au

Contact

+61 2 6207 8484

Rating on Google Maps

4.80 (194 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Sunday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Monday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Tuesday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Wednesday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Thursday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Friday: 9 am to 4 pm
  • Saturday: 9 am to 4 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: bonsai (12) trees (9) amazing (6) plants (6) Bonsai (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Narayan B. 3 months ago on Google • 57 reviews New
    Beautiful place to relax , natural greenery , peace and quiet place to relax with family
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Aariel B. 3 years ago on Google
    Super amazing exhibition! Definitely worth checking out in person, so many details that can’t be caught through screen. Even interesting for younger kids when looking at the ages of some of the plants and hidden statues within the branches ☺️ The guides are always lovely and happy to have a chat or leave you to a quiet stroll. Entrance is free, but there is a donation box at the exit as an option.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Minsha M. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice experience seeing different ages of bonsai and varieties of trees in mini form. Just amazing and wish I have the expertise to do one at home
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Michal 3 months ago on Google • 725 reviews New
    Stunning. Amazing staff, ready to share a yarn or two. Must see.

  • 5/5 Dostum 2 years ago on Google • 254 reviews
    A fantastic place, I've visited on Sunday and not much traffic around. Spent about half an hour and enjoyed my visit. It is amazing how these plants can live over a hundred years and still bloom like baby flowers. In Japan, many people have Bonsai at home. Life is fast phased but they are there like time stops... I would recommend coming here and doing a bit nice for your spirit.

  • 5/5 Biplob P. 10 months ago on Google • 101 reviews
    Lovely collection of bonsais. A nice patch with cacti - golden barrel, espostoas, cerus, notocacus lenighousii and various other succulents like sedums, agaves, aloes, etc. Liked the huge sloping lawns and treescaped hillsides. The slopes were being enjoyed by children flying kites, playing football and simply running around. Temperature was 10°C today but a good number of visitors had come. A microscope kept inside for viewing details of small flowers and fruits was a great learning tool for the children. The entire arborium being developed for preserving rare plants and trees is a great effort and I appreciate the efforts of the organisation from my heart!

  • 5/5 Kim O. 5 months ago on Google • 90 reviews
    Fantastic collection of Bonsai trees, some are extremely old and have been trained for many years to achieve their current look. This is a must see when in Canberra, it is free to access. Plenty of parking available.

  • 5/5 Google A. 2 years ago on Google • 83 reviews
    If you are in Canberra, do not drive past this. Incredible work and artistry on display. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Truly a wonderful exhibition and testament to true dedication. You will feel transported into another world!

  • 5/5 Mac O. 3 months ago on Google • 65 reviews New
    As a lover of Bonsais and as I have some of my own. I got in touch with some people working there just chatting about the love of trees and bonsais. It was my highlight of the day and the city. The park is huge so you can also have some nice walks through the green😊 Also it was free of charge. Just the parking costs.

  • 5/5 Tee 5 months ago on Google • 53 reviews
    Absolutely beautiful display, photos allowed. Some of the most stunning trees you will ever see. I am nearly 60 and remember as a child in England, the Elms being decimated by Dutch Elm Disease. Fantastic to see one today, not a tree I recognised sadly, what a huge loss that was.

  • 5/5 Shaun H. 4 months ago on Google • 9 reviews
    What an amazing place! The amount of work that has gone into these bonsai is outstanding!

  • 5/5 Ayon W. 11 months ago on Google
    If you are visiting Canberra, this is a great location to take a breath and relax yourself in the wonders of Bonsai creations!

  • 5/5 Brett F. 2 years ago on Google
    Sensational collection on display, totally worth it for any bonsai enthusiast.

  • 5/5 Richard B. 3 years ago on Google
    Very impressive. Such time consuming and meticulous effort by all those who have bonsai on show. Worth visiting if you are at the arboretum or are interested in bonsai.

  • 5/5 Warren Z. 2 years ago on Google
    Lovely place to admire some splendid works of art.

  • 5/5 M Nouman B. 5 months ago on Google
    Loved the trees oldest one was from 1880

  • 5/5 Benjamin 2 years ago on Google
    Must-see for anyone who keeps pot plants or has a green thumb. Basically art and plants together! Fascinating to see trees twice your age, at half your size.

  • 5/5 Ashleigh T. 6 months ago on Google • 5 reviews
    Beautiful, peaceful, artistic. Lovely meeting place. Great view. A real treasure on the hillside.

  • 5/5 Sharon 6 months ago on Google
    Very nice display of bonsai. I love how intricate each one is, clearly a lot of effort and time has gone into caring for each individual bonsai. It was very interesting to read each name tag and their age. I didn't know there was so much variety of bonsai. I enjoyed visiting , I would recommend checking this out. You do not need tickets to enter.

  • 5/5 Sharmila T. 9 months ago on Google
    Beautiful and very serien, meditative place.

  • 5/5 Downunder 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing display of Bonsai. Some are going 140+ years old. The hard work, care and affection to keep them alive is amazing. We were looking for tree that were close to our age and then realise there are much more older and some younglings there as well. This is also free entry and we only need to pay for car Park.

  • 5/5 Edward 9 months ago on Google
    Absolutely fantastic sight to see. So many well kept and cared for bonsai! Definitely a highlight to go to the Arboretum

  • 5/5 James K. 1 year ago on Google
    What can I say? I thought I'd see maybe 5 bonsai plants but there were dozens, maybe even a hundred if you include the ones out the back. Wondrous, magical, and a mystery of nature and human dedication to the craft.

  • 5/5 zac m. 3 years ago on Google
    Pretty awesome little place with some history around each tree, and very beautifully done potting of some of the Bonsai

  • 5/5 Mayumi T. 1 year ago on Google
    There are wonderful bonsai collections. Some us very old and amazing.

  • 5/5 Cameross `. 1 year ago on Google
    Loved the scarves on the trees during winter. Absolutely would recommend visiting the exhibit.

  • 5/5 Greg W. 2 years ago on Google
    Loved it. Fantastic place to visit with terrific bonsai. Less pines and more Australian natives would be better.

  • 5/5 Robert S. 1 year ago on Google
    This is an iconic Canberra destination. Bonsai trees that are 50 years old covering a mix of traditional and local species. Entry is free and the guides are knowledgeable, welcoming and immeasurably patient with questions from those interested, but inexperienced.

  • 4/5 darcy o. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful establishment. Some of the bonsais were over 150 years old, alot of care is taken to look after these bonsais. The staff were knowledgeable and attentive to us.

  • 5/5 Raymund 1 year ago on Google
    The craftmanship on each tree is awesome. If you are in Canberra you definitely want to visit this place. Specially if you are a nature lover.


Call +61 2 6207 8484 Open on Google Maps

Trends



Last updated:

Similar Tourist attractions nearby

National Arboretum Canberra image
1
National Arboretum Canberra
Arboretum
Large, modern park with cedar & oak forests, a lively cafe & a playground with big acorn treehouses.
4.60 (6.4K reviews)
National Zoo & Aquarium image
2
National Zoo & Aquarium
Zoo
This storied, 25-acre site offers exotic & native animal encounters, zookeeper talks & picnic areas.
4.60 (4.5K reviews)
Dairy Farmers Hill Lookout image
3
Dairy Farmers Hill Lookout
Scenic spot
👍👍 A fantastic lookout and beautiful garden area at the top of the hill. The views are superb, with the 'Eagles Nest' statue overlooking the grassland hills. There's a few other pieces or artwork at the top of the lookout, with the carpark being relatively close. At one side of the lookout there's the...
4.80 (742 reviews)
Pod Playground image
4
Pod Playground
Playground
😐 An interesting park, but unfortunately some of the equipment is rusting, which left unpleasant stains on our son's clothing (especially when the slide was slightly wet). Mostly suited for older children, especially the bigger equipment pods, but would probably avoid until it's had some maintenance w...
4.70 (622 reviews)
Cork Oak Plantation image
5
Cork Oak Plantation
Park
👍👍 Planted over 100 yrs ago it has The National Arbitorium adjoining it. A little eerie but so cool.
4.50 (82 reviews)
Last updated:
()