Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a major cultural complex on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., dedicated as the nation’s living memorial to President Kennedy and opened in 1971. It houses multiple resident companies and presents a wide season of music, theater, and dance.

Planned as a living memorial after President Kennedy’s assassination, the center was designed by Edward Durell Stone and constructed in the 1960s and early 1970s; it opened in 1971 and has since hosted national and international performing arts companies. Ongoing upgrades and programming have kept the center active as a leading U.S. performing arts venue.

The center is located on the Potomac’s north bank in northwest Washington, D.C., a short distance west of the Watergate complex and within view of major memorials and federal buildings.

• Opening and design: Opened in 1971 and designed by architect Edward Durell Stone as the nation's living memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
• Rooftop terrace: A rooftop terrace provides panoramic views of the Potomac River and nearby memorials and is a popular public-access vantage point for sunsets.

What to See #

• Concert Hall: The main large-capacity performance venue used for orchestral concerts and other major productions, located within the center's complex on the Potomac waterfront.
• Opera House: A larger theatrical house used for opera and large-scale staged productions as one of the center's prominent indoor venues.
• Eisenhower Theater: A mid-size theater used for plays, dance, and other performing arts offerings, commonly used for touring productions and national company performances.