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. 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.
Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have been awarded annually by the center's Board of Trustees.
The Kennedy Center houses a number of groups and institutions, including:
- National Symphony Orchestra
- Washington Opera
- Washington Ballet
- Washington Performing Arts Society
- American Film Institute
See also
