The Kennedy Center, Washington DC

President Kennedy’s words serve as the inspiration for the extraordinary memorial in his honor. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts fulfills President Kennedy’s vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, and folk music, and multi-media performances for all ages. The Center nurtures and celebrates artists through its commissioning and training programs, and such awards as the Kennedy Center Honors, broadcast each December on CBS television, and the Kennedy Center Celebration of American Humor
and the Mark Twain Prize.

The Kennedy Center is the nation’s home for the performing arts, and also its busiest, presenting more than 2,000 performances each year. Millions of patrons from around the world pass through the Center’s doors annually, and millions more enjoy the Center’s broadcast and Internet performances. The Kennedy Center’s Education programs reach into classrooms and homes across the U.S. and around the world, helping teachers enliven curriculum with the arts, and inspiring young artists.

The Kennedy Center has eight indoor stages: the Concert Hall, where the National Symphony Orchestra and great artists from around the world are heard; the Opera House, home for the Washington National Opera, internationally renowned ballet companies, and spectacular musical theater; the Eisenhower Theater, where audiences enjoy plays and dance; the Terrace Theater, which hosts chamber music, jazz, and plays; the Theater Lab, where you will find the long-running interactive comedy whodunit, Shear Madness, and family performances; the Family Theater, home for public and school performances of theater for young people; and the intimate Jazz Club in the Center’s Terrace Gallery, which offers top jazz performers from around the world. The Millennium Stage, flanking the Center’s famed Grand Foyer, presents free performances daily, 365 days a year. The Kennedy Center also presents performances in its beautiful outdoor spaces.

The Kennedy Center’s location alongside the Potomac River offers spectacular views of the city and the Virginia shore. While visiting the Center, patrons enjoy an unparalleled collection of artsrelated items in the Center’s Gift Shops, including books, recordings, toys, apparel, stationery, and more. Free daily Guided Tours allow patrons an in-depth experience of the Center’s history, and the opportunity to explore the many gifts of art from nations around the world, as well as a glimpse behind the scenes of the theaters and public spaces. The Center offers visitors dining choices including the casual, self-service KC Café and the critically acclaimed Roof Terrace Restaurant.