Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

George Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection a Nonprofit Corp

EIN 61-1727426 · Federal Way, WA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood77 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM INSPIRES A CLOSER LOOK AT NATURE THROUGH THE LIVING ART OF BONSAI. WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THE POWERFUL PRESENCE OF BONSAI AND BE MOVED TO CULTIVATE A MORE INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE. THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXHIBITIONS THAT EMBRACE INNOVATION AS WELL AS TRADITION, PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM ENGAGES A DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND SERVES AS A LIVING REPOSITORY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE.

Income
$813,802
Spending
$866,019
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
9.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
8
Volunteers
52
Highest pay
$126,516, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $422,825 spent. COLLECTIONS: WE REMAIN AN "ADMISSION BY DONATION" MUSEUM ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM STEWARDS A COLLECTION OF 150 BONSAI THAT ARE AMONG THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF BONSAI ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ONE OF ONLY TWO MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES SOLELY DEDICATED TO BONSAI AND ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF BONSAI MUSEUMS WORLDWIDE. PACIFIC BONSAI MAINTAINS A COLLECTION OF 150 BONSAI WHICH ROTATE REGULARLY WHEN NEW EXHIBITIONS ARE MOUNTED. THE COLLECTION IS ALSO THE MOST GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE BONSAI COLLECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH TREES FROM CANADA, CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA, TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES FEATURING 60 TREES ON EXHIBIT AT A GIVEN TIME. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SIX DAYS A WEEK, THIS CULTURAL GEM OFFERS CONTEMPORARY AND TRADITIONAL BONSAI EXHIBITIONS, GROUPS TOURS, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS AND PUBLIC EVENTS.
  2. $82,017 spent. EXHIBITIONS & INNOVATION: SMALL TALK BRINGS THE MATERIAL OF TEXTBOOKS TO LIFE WITH 41 LIVING TREES. THROUGH ANIME-INSPIRED ILLUSTRATIONS OF MINIATURE TREES, EMOJIS, AND LIGHTHEARTED, TEXT-LIKE EXCHANGES, THE EXHIBITION BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN TEXTBOOK STEM EDUCATION AND REAL-WORLD FUN. FROM "THIRST ALERTS" TO "SUNLIGHT STATUS UPDATES AND "PRUNING NOTIFICATIONS," SMALL TALK ANSWERS COMMON, BOTANICALLY-ORIENTED QUESTIONS ABOUT BONSAI IN THE FORMAT OF A CHAT. THIS EXHIBITION WILL INCLUDE INTERACTIVE STATIONS, WHERE YOU CAN TRY YOUR HAND AT BONSAI WIRING AND SIFT THROUGH THE BONSAI'S SPECIAL SOIL.
  3. $97,841 spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMS: WE PARTNERED WITH PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION TO BRING BONSAIFEST! TO THE MUSEUM, A FREE COMMUNITY EVENT FOCUSED ON LEARNING ABOUT THE ART OF BONSAI AND FURTHERING OUR MISSION OF CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE THROUGH THE LIVING ART OF BONSAI. BONSAI WINTER SOLSTICE EVENT, A FREE COMMUNITY FEATURING A QUIET STROLL IN THE WOODS TO EXPLORE BONSAI ILLUMINATED BY SOFT LIGHTS. WE HELD SUMMER BONSAI SOLSTICE IN JUNE, AN OPEN-HOUSE STYLE, FREE COMMUNITY EVENT FEATURING TAICHI, LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE COLLECTION. EVENTS WERE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.