Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Photo by mastermaq(CC BY-SA 2.0))

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The Kennedy Center is Washington DC's premier center for the performing arts, and is, in fact, the busiest performing arts center in the nation. The center provides theatrical, musical, and dance productions in its three main venues: the Concert Hall, the Opera House, and the Eisenhower Theater. The center is the home of the National Symphony Orchestra, and often showcases tours of well known theater shows.

Transportation

The facility is located on the banks of the Potomac River, just a half mile from Foggy Bottom Station. A shuttle provides service between the station and the Kennedy center, located on 23rd st. just outside the station, departing every 15 minutes during:

• 9:45 a.m.-midnight Monday-Friday
• 10 a.m.-midnight Saturdays
• noon-midnight Sundays
• 4p.m.-midnight Federal holidays

Facilities

The Kennedy Center's facilities contain several venues for world class presentations and performances:

• Concert Hall: The Concert Hall seats 2,400, and is the largest performance space in the Kennedy Center. It often holds performances by the National Symphony Orchestra.
• Opera House: The Opera House seats about 2,300, and is designed for ballet, opera, and musical theater. It is home of the Washington National Opera.
• Eisenhower Theater: The Eisenhower Theater seats over 1,100, and often holds Broadway-like performances.

Other locations include:

• Free performances are often held at either end of the Grand Foyer, on the Millennium Stage.
• Between venues, the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations and Hall of States present the flags of nations and states.
• The river terrace, overlooking the Potomac River, and the rooftop terrace atop the building.
• The Family Theater, a location with about 350 seats, for educational events.
• The Terrace Theater, with just over 500 seats.
• The Theater Lab, with almost 400 seats for the long running whodunit, Shear Madness