Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a national cultural center in Washington, D.C. Its full name is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera are resident companies of the center.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts houses several theaters. The Concert Hall features concert music and popular entertainers. The Opera House presents opera, ballet, and musical comedies. The Eisenhower Theater offers plays and smaller opera and dance productions. The Terrace Theater presents chamber music and small plays. The Theater Lab hosts shows for young people. The Theater Lab is the home of shows for adults. The KC Jazz Club presents jazz performances. The American architect Edward Durell Stone designed the center, which was erected as a national memorial to the late president.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1971, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. A Board of Trustees administers the center. The president of the United States appoints most members of the board. The board also includes several members from each house of Congress and from other government and nongovernment agencies.
