John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was authorized by Congress in 1958, renamed after President Kennedy following his assassination, and opened in 1971 as the United States' national cultural center. Designed by architect Edward Durell Stone, the center houses multiple performance venues under one roof and serves as a living memorial to JFK while presenting thousands of performances and events each year. Its prominent location on the Potomac makes it a distinctive modern landmark on the Washington waterfront.