A portion of the ceiling inside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts collapsed Friday evening after heavy rain swept through the Washington, D.C., area, prompting officials to temporarily close the building and renew calls for long-planned renovations.
No one was injured when part of the ceiling in the building’s Grand Foyer fell, according to the Kennedy Center. Photos released by the center showed chunks of ceiling material, dust and debris scattered across the red carpet.
Within hours of the collapse, Kennedy Center officials were arguing that the incident underscored the need to overhaul the aging facility.
“Another warning we can’t ignore,” the Kennedy Center said in an Instagram post. “A section of the Grand Foyer ceiling collapsed after this week’s storms. Thankfully no one was hurt. Decades of deferred maintenance made this inevitable.”
The post added: “Chairman President Trump has been right: America’s cultural center needs to close, renovate, and be restored, now.”
USA TODAY reached out to the Kennedy Center on Saturday seeking additional comment.
Grand Foyer to remain closed after collapse
According to ABC News, the Kennedy Center’s main building was closed immediately after the collapse Friday night.
While the rest of the building is expected to reopen Saturday, the Grand Foyer will remain closed to visitors and nonessential personnel through the weekend, the outlet reported.
Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi told ABC News that the collapse was “another example of the urgent need to close for renovation and revitalization.”
“The ceiling failure stems from decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous leadership,” Daravi said.
The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971, was established by an act of Congress during the Eisenhower administration and later designated as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy after his assassination.
Collapse adds to debate over Kennedy Center renovations
The collapse comes as the Kennedy Center board’s plan to temporarily close the facility for a two-year renovation remains tied up in federal court.
Last month, the board approved a renovation project expected to cost more than $250 million. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, has challenged the closure plan in court.
Justice Department lawyers have argued that the building needs extensive repairs, citing water damage and rusting steel, according to The Hill. The administration has also warned in court filings that the center could eventually face demolition if those repairs are not completed, though officials have said that is not the current plan.
Congress has appropriated $257 million for the project, and the Trump administration has said it hopes to raise an additional $500 million through private donations to help restore and endow the center.
The Kennedy Center in the morning following an appeal by the Kennedy Center Board to a federal judge’s deadline to remove U.S. President Donald Trump’s name from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on June 12, 2026.
Renovation plans remain tied to legal dispute over Trump’s name
The renovation proposal is also tied to a federal court fight over plans to recognize President Donald Trump on the Kennedy Center.
Last month, the board voted to place signage on the building reading, “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump,” and to rename the surrounding grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”
The proposed changes remain tied up in federal court. Government lawyers have argued that the wording would recognize Trump’s role in renovating the building rather than formally rename the Kennedy Center, while opponents argue that the move conflicts with an earlier court order.
Contributing: USA TODAY reporters Emily R. Condon, Bart Jansen and Mike Stunson
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kennedy Center closes after part of ceiling collapses during rainstorm
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