We have wonderful collections at the Smithsonian, wonderful collections at the Library of Congress and collections throughout the nation. The new entity would also serve the 5 million tourists and ticket buyers who come to the center. A centerpiece of the museum would be tributes to the 121 artists who have been been presented medals at the annual Kennedy Center Honors. The center presents medals each December, usually to five living artists in recognition of their contributions to the nation's performing arts. Entertainers from Marian Anderson to Fred Astaire to Paul Newman to Bob Dylan have been celebrated at the ceremonies, but there is no permanent exhibition to honor these legends.
Construction is a long way off.
The center's board would have to approve it and then federal and city officials would have to give the okay. All the money for the two buildings would have to be raised privately, Kaiser said. That task would be formidable, but Kaiser has had considerable success raising money. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is designated the official memorial to President Kennedy and is the official national performing arts center. More than 3,000 performances a year take place at the venue, which is home to the National Symphony and the Washington Opera.