The John F.Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Reviews

Verdi's Requiem was playing when I attended the theater and the performance was absolutely stunning. The service, however, while above average lacked the certain magical feeling that going to an opera or symphony can evoke: taking me out of the experience as I entered and left the theater.

Absolutely loved it and look forward to going again next trip to DC

A great venue near food and easy parking. A great place to see musicians in settings they don't normally perform in - plus, the National Symphony Orchestra.

Attended the Washington Chorus Christmas Concert. Great venue and amazing sound.

They offered water, soda, wine and snacks. Only downside was that the wine had to be served in plastic cups.

Beautiful facility. A breath of refinement and hopefully you'll enjoy the show!

Amazing venue. Great shows. Magnificent customer service!!

CULTURAL;EDUCATIONAL and ENLIGHTENING ENTERTAINMENT

Loved every single minute of every visit to the Kennedy Center. There's always something going on there! Very organized shows and the volunteers are very helpful. On site parking is pricey but also anywhere else in DC. Take pictures outside the building overlooking the potomac!

Historic, huge theater and building. We saw Phantom of the Opera there - and it was a great show - and in another part of the building was a free concert that I might have gone to otherwise. Great views of the Potomac as well.

I took the tour, I found it was very interesting. Great views from the top floor

The music was great. Unfortunately, they squeezed many more people into the venue than they should have.

Never disappoints! DC's timeless icon of the Arts is a well designed, flawlessly kept, ever expanding memorial to all that's good about humanity; the divine gifts endowed to us by the Creator. I love visiting this work of art!

Very good venue. Don't underestimate how formal you should dress. Wish I had brought my suit to D.C.

The Kennedy center is one of those amazing places that you are lucky to get a chance to see a show in. It's a building that is nicer than any other Broadway theatre or most performing arts centers in the country. You can see multiple performances in a day and can even head up to the cafe or restaurant to get a bite to eat. Even if you're not a performing arts fan, it's definitely worth it to catch a show here once in your life - and don't forget to head up to the terrace to take in the panoramic views of DC!

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts offers the best of DCs stage, symphony, opera, and all the arts combined into 6-8 theaters. Make sure to take a free tour of this place where you'll learn about the different countries contributions to the theater, visit at least 3 theaters including the famed Opera house and even catch a glimpse of the President's box! You will even see the expansion areas set to open Sept.

Free performances are given daily on the Millennium stage. Their two gifts shops sell merchandise that compliments the featured show running as well as their own merchandise.

The outside terrace offers spectacular views of the Lincoln Memorial, Georgetown, Washington National Cathedral, and the Arlington Memorial bridge. Their KC Cafe offers mediocre food but they have a 2nd restaurant open for dinner and brunch. Free shuttle buses take you to Foggy Bottom Metro stop. Definitely a must see if you are visiting DC!

Went to a free concert. First 600 people got in. Half way through they kicked everyone out saying the concert was "so popular" to let more people in. On top of that the people kicking us out were rude and ill tempered. We waited in line for over an hour and only got to see half a concert. Nothing was right about that situation except the exceptional quality of the performers

The interior of the building is the fanciest I've seen compared to the other performance arts centers I've been to around the country. I think tickets are subsidized by a large endowment, probably made possible through their extremely high profile board. The acoustics were good, though I'm no expert. I thought the bass was a little lacking in volume from my seat near the center of the orchestra section, but again, I'm no expert. It was clean and the community seemed pleasant.

Went to see the Barber of Seville. It's been a long time since we've been here. Have seen several operas since the place opened. We should go more often. Much easier than going to NYC. Good idea to reserve a parking spot if you're driving.

A wonderful experience. I cannot wait to come back.

Many people think about this as just a place for the Performing Arts but it's really also and most importantly a memorial to John F Kennedy they have a little interpretation of his life but they're working on doing more. They're open every night till 10 or 11 so it's a good place to go with your friends from out of town. Lovely views from the Terrace of the river and Georgetown

A great venue with free events scheduled regularly for the occasional tourist and also internationally acclaimed shows for dedicated patrons.

A surprisingly nice gem. Comparable to NYC Lincoln Center.

This is one of the great performance centers. It's a bit hard to get in and out, but worth the effort.

Been here a few times for shows in the Opera House and Eisenhower Theater. Both are great venues.

Enjoyed seeing Hamilton here. The center and theater are well layed out. There is also terrace level dining with a great view available. There is a cafeteria setup complete with wine and other adult beverages. Prices are a bit steep. Paid $30 for a large salad, glass of rose, bottled water and a roll. But, not awful for the convenience and view.

If you've never been there, try it. It is exquisite. If you've been there, try it again. Been there many times and have never been disappointed. Just make sure you give yourself ample time because of DC traffic.

Beautiful venue! Great performance! My Fair Lady was spectacular.

Saw Hamilton! Sent me to tears multiple times. So good!

The pageantry of The Kennedy Center in opening night is jusy spectacular. Looking good DC!

We went to the new park/performance area called The Reach. It's an integral part of the Kennedy Center that effectively extends the Kennedy Center outdoors. It also has a pedestrian bridge that connects the Reach to the path along the Potomac River. That's great, because the Center has always been cut off from the River.

Beautiful venue, always very talented performers. Must visit.

Enjoyed the annual Lunar New Year 2020 festivities with all the beautiful lanterns and hands-on activities. Especially enjoyed the Feelak Company Performance (Percussion Ensemble)! It would've been great if their performance was a bit longer. They had great energy and loved the interaction with the audience!

Loved the Christmas performance put on by Choral Arts!

Great venue for opera, theater, concerts and ballet.

Excellent space to explore. Jackie (sp?) is a great tour guide.

It was cool that guy really explained the place well

A lot of people do a lot of work to make this a truly wonderful experience for all kinds of live performances. It should be on Everyone's bucket list to see some kind of show here.

Great venue for all types of shows. Plenty of on-site parking. Super friendly staff.

It so good I performed there for 3 or 2 years it's peaceful and it's filled with art with all different types of art the reason why I was there it's because I performed the silaphone

Only gripe is that you can't bring your drink into the theatre

This theater has unbelievably small seats. If you weigh more than 150 pounds it's going to feel crowded. It's an beautiful facility and the cafe has really good food. Seafood stew was incredible.

Great shows and plays. I particularly love the Shear Madness. It was always interesting to see new actors and actresses playing the same roles over time. I used to coming here a lot when I was in college. However, it becomes a bit pricey when you are no longer a student :( Still, I love this place and will continue to come!

Parking is very expensive, the show we went to was very expensive. Have your duckets ready! If you can, you can try and find parking not to far away and walk up if the weather is good.

It's a great venue with a plethora of performances from all genres of music and Theatre. It's a great place to see shows as a family or alone. There are many theaters and performances to choose from each night. There are activities/performances that are even free. Price range depends on the show. Also a lot of parking available and easy access to transportation.

Good seating and sound in the opera house, appreciate that you can purchase parking ahead of time to guarantee a spot. Didn't have much time to explore around or go to the rooftop but would like to check out the other amenities next time.

It's one of this nation's best centers for performing arts.

Beautiful theater. They put on some amazing performances and are staffed by some really great people.

Excellent performances & you can often get tickets for very affordable prices (make sure to also check Goldstar). The roof is freely accessible and affords fantastic views.

Ticket Box office no lines for Hamilton's tuckets during the workweek (lunch hour). 60 minutes free parking with ticket purchase and/or $10 purchase from the gift shop.

always a great venue to visit .. saw Hamilton and Book of Mormon here .. if you want on site parking there may be an online way of getting it discounted .. cool waterfalls and views of the harbor from the back terrace of the building

The Kennedy Center is an amazing please. There is something for everyone here. Free shows everyday, discount ticket programs, wonderful music and theatre. There are several exhibits as well if you can't make it here for a show. The veiw from the Potomac from the back is amazing.

I've attended so many fantastic free events here. I love this building and institution.

Been here too many times to count and each time I've been wow'd by the performances. I recently came for the Sheer Madness whodunit play, and I was surprised by the acting quality, the set design and rapid fire humor. Definitely worth while coming to for art!

I thank God for this place. My family really appreciates the 6pm live shows for the community.

Excellence!

Update: Nat King Cole show 10/17/78 Amazing

Always a lovely place. Great views, great restaurants, and most of all, great shows and concerts.

Saw "The Humans" last night and absolutely loved it!

Beautiful location, wonderful artwork, lovely views. Great plays and musicals

Just awesome, samantha did her thing in the Aladdin musical. Must see

Even parking was easy and convenient. WOW - what a venue. Save time before your show and walk around the upper terrace to take in all the sights of DC.

The free concert was amazing this evening at the Milennium Stage. On One Accord, a musical tribute to Jewish American & African American Composers was more than just a concert, it was a walk through history. The CAAPA organization rocks!

My Fair Lady, was a great performance, rooftop terrace dining was fine, the place is still well kept and convenient underground parking makes for a one stop enjoyable evening. How can you not give it five stars, its the Kennedy Center!

Great venue, high-quality performances. Parking is expensive and it is not Metro accessible.