16 fun facts about the John F. Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a vast cultural center that is wholly dedicated to the performing arts. A highly visible building as you drive over the Potomac River on any one of the bridges from Virginia into the District, the center is one of D.C.’s top venues to see performing arts.

Partial view of the front exterior of the Kennedy Center

The DC Kennedy Center welcomes millions of people each year to enjoy a show, learn something new or to simply explore the building and what it has to offer. Want to know more?

16 facts about the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

1. The Kennedy Center is located on 17 acres and was designed by architect Edward Durell Stone.

One side of the rooftop terrace at the Kennedy Center

2. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation (the National Cultural Center Act) in 1958 to establish a building dedicated to the performing arts. A few months prior to his death, President John F. Kennedy had signed legislation to expand the newly designated cultural center which increased the number of trustees and extended the time for raising private funds. The Eisenhower Theater in the Kennedy Center sits 1,164 people and is named in President Eisenhower’s honor.

3. The newly-designated center was renamed as a national living memorial to President John F. Kennedy following his 1963 assassination. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill on January 23, 1964. 

4. At the groundbreaking ceremony in December 1964, President Johnson used the same gold-plated shovel used for the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

5. Opening night for the John F. Kennedy Center was on Sept. 8, 1971. The world premiere that evening was Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers” and was performed at the Opera House.

6. The Hall of States showcases a bright display of 50 flags, each representing one of the states. They are hung along the ceiling in the order they entered the union. U.S. territories and District of Columbia flags are also displayed.

Hall of States

7. The Hall of Nations also displays flags. In this grand hall, you can see flags from all of the countries with which the United States maintains diplomatic relations.

Hall of Nations

8. An impressive 630 feet long, 40 feet wide Grand Foyer showcases 16 Orrefors crystal chandeliers. Each chandelier weighs one ton.

9. President Kennedy is honored by a bust made by Robert Berks; it weighs a whopping 3,000 pounds.

10. The center’s Concert Hall has more than 2,400 seats.

11. The Opera House at the center, with its more than 2,300 seats, is illuminated by Lobmeyr chandelier, a gift from Austria. Its diameter is 50 feet and has almost 2,000 light bulbs!

12. Free performances can be found at the center’s Millennium Stage at 6 p.m. every day. A variety of art forms can be seen, including but not limited to dance, comedy, improv and various types of music.

13. Other performance spaces in the Kennedy Center include the Family Theater (324 seats), Terrace Theatre (490 seats), Theater Lab (388 seats), the North and South Plazas and the Terrace Gallery.

14. Visitors are able to roam the River and Roof Terraces and take in the views of the city and of Northern Virginia. Highlights include the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, Washington National Cathedral, the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. Boats, kayakers and other water travelers can be watched going up and down the Potomac River.

View of NW DC and to the left is Virginia

15. Along the River Terrace’s marble walls, you can read engraved quotes by President Kennedy that was said with emphasis on the arts in American culture.

16. The Kennedy Center is currently undergoing a massive renovation. Its first renovation since its build, the Kennedy Center will see three pavilions: A Welcome Pavilion, Skylight Pavilion, and a River Pavilion. The new spaces will add studios, rehearsal rooms, classrooms, lecture hall and other spaces dedicated to education. There will also be a large outdoor wall for video presentations, along with a café. 

Existing cafe inside of the Kennedy Center

As a long-established and highly acclaimed DC performing arts center, over 3 million people visit the John F. Kennedy Center each year. Visitors are welcome to the center to visit and free tours are offered daily.

Sources:

Personal observation

Brochure and booklet picked up at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Kennedy Center website