As the artistic resident of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Symphony Orchestra occupies a unique place in American cultural life, performing for heads of state, visiting dignitaries, and the Washington public alike. The orchestra delivers a robust season of symphonic concerts, chamber music, and education programs, anchored by performances in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Its programming reflects the breadth of the orchestral canon while embracing commissions from living composers, fulfilling its role as the nation's orchestra in both name and ambition.
Plan your visit — dining, transit, and performer resources nearby
Plan Your Visit
2 dining
Go after midnight on a show night — the kitchen stays open late and the post-show crowd from the U Street music venues fills the counter. The chili cheese fries are a secondary rite of passage.
Reserve on show nights — the Kennedy Center proximity means it fills with artistic directors, donors, and visiting international performers. The fried chicken and house-made bourbon program are the standards. Brunch on Sundays is a DC institution.
Green Room — Washington DC
Housing, coaches, practice spaces, and wellness resources for working performers.
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View Full DirectoryVerified gifts of $1.0M+ from National Symphony Orchestra's donors, and where else those donors give. Sourced from Form 990 Schedule M and named press releases.
Donor-network graphs map every $1M+ gift this institution has received and traces those donors to every other org they fund.
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