As of 2006 the Foundation's mission is devoted to the conservation, research, acquisition, evaluation, cultivation, public display, and distribution of rhododendron species.

The organization was founded in 1964 by members of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) after a visit to Britain by Dr. Milton Walker.

By 1974, after outgrowing several other sites, the collection moved to its current location, provided by Weyerhaeuser Company corporate headquarters at no cost to the Society.

The vireya section, which has about 319 species, is found almost entirely in Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippine Islands, Malaysia, Thailand and New Guinea.

In addition, other rare plants such as wild orchid species and tree ferns are displayed, all growing together as one would see them in their native habitats that span oceans and continents.

[5] In 2019 the Weyerhaeuser Company was sold to Industrial Realty Group (IRG) and planned to develop the Woodbridge Corporate Park.

[5] This is the best collection of rhododendron species on the planet.In 2015 a RSBG sponsored tour of India led by Executive Director & Curator Steve Hootman were trapped for two days by a Himalayan landslide.

[6] Scientists from Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio visited RSBG in 2015 to take samples to investigate physiological diversity among Rhododendron species.