John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1971 as the national cultural center of the United States and was authorized by Congress as a living memorial to President Kennedy. The center hosts the annual Kennedy Center Honors and serves as a major venue for theater, dance, orchestral, and other performing arts, presenting both national and international artists. The building is operated by the U.S. federal government and is located on the Potomac River at the north end of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge area.