John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (or Kennedy Center) opened in 1971 as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy. The idea for the center, however, dates to 1958, when a National Cultural Center was proposed for Washington, DC. The center, designed by architect Edward Durrell Stone, is located on the Potomac River and is adjacent to the Watergate Hotel. The Center has three main theaters: A Concert Hall on the south side, an Opera House in the middle, and the Eisenhower Theater on the north side, named for Dwight Eisenhower. Other performance venues in the Center include the Terrace Theater, the Theater Lab, and the Millennium Stage. Free performances are held on the Millennium Stage every evening at 6:00 PM. In December 2005, a new theater will open, the Family Theater, which replaces what was once the AFI theater in the Hall of States.

Related Topics:
1971 - John F. Kennedy - 1958 - Washington, DC - Edward Durrell Stone - Potomac River - Watergate Hotel - Dwight Eisenhower

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Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have been awarded annually by the center's Board of Trustees.

Related Topics:
1978 - Kennedy Center Honors - Center's Board of Trustees

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The Kennedy Center houses a number of groups and institutions, including:

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• National Symphony Orchestra
• Washington National Opera
• Washington Ballet
• Washington Performing Arts Society
• American College Theater Festival
 
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: See also ►