[Full Disclosure: I am a recently-former employee of the Kennedy Center. Any opinions expressed in this piece are my own personal views and do not represent that of the Center, its management, or its staff.]
In the last 3 years, I have started watching The West Wing tv show. Very late to the bandwagon, I know, but I'm glad I jumped on! It's been a lot of fun, and a lot to relate to, having been part of an organization tied to the federal government.
Much of the show was shot on a soundstage in LA, where they built an entire idealized West Wing set. However, they did shoot on-location around D.C. from time to time. In Season 2 Episode 9 "Galileo," the President attends a Reykjavik Symphony concert at the Kennedy Center!
Similar to my 35/15 Photo Project around Colonial Williamsburg, I wanted to do a then-and-now photo post, comparing the on-location shots in 2000 to how they look in the present day. The pictures I show were taken throughout December 2021, even though this is posted in 2022. This was meant to be posted before I departed the Kennedy Center, but time got the best of me. Ah well, better late than never! Let's get started!
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| The Watergate, 2021 |
President Bartlet takes his motorcade from the White House to the Kennedy Center. In the establishing shot, we see the motorcade driving up the hill from Rock Creek Parkway as the camera pans from the Watergate Complex to the Center. In this first part of the shot and its present-day view, you can see not much has changed. The KC Service Entrance sign no longer present. New sign poles and security cameras have sprung up, while plants have been replaced with new ones.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Kennedy Center, 2021 |
In the second part of the pan, we finally see the exterior of the Kennedy Center. You can see a bit more of it in 2000 from this vantage point. During 2001-2004, the Kennedy Center had its first expansion outside its original perimeter. Extra parking and plaza space was erected on each end of the Center, and the Front Plaza was reconfigured.
The position of the building lights originally shot up from the ground. Now, they have been moved onto the underside of the eaves, shooting downward. Downward column lighting has also been added. The lights are rainbow-colored in 2021 in honor of the filming and broadcast of the 44th annual Kennedy Center Honors, mimicking the Honors medallion. They revert back to white light a little after the broadcast airs. It's a beautiful annual installation that was started in 2017.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Service Tunnel, 2021 |
The next shot is from inside the Service Tunnel, witnessing the motorcade approach as the service doors open. The service tunnel is still there, seemingly untouched during the Parking/Plaza expansion. The guard station present in 2000 on the righthand side of the shot no longer exists, but the concrete island and its protecting poles are still there. A new guard station is at the top of the service tunnel's driveway. The service doors are still there, still featuring windows that can be seen through (they were fully open when I was scouting my shots).
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Service Tunnel, 2021 |
Further into the tunnel, we witness the motorcade enter the underground roadway while Secret Service stand at the ready. The tunnel now has an extra 21 years of wear and tear on it. It looks so empty in 2000. Part of the drive is now used to park large machinery and items. Also, there are now sprinklers! Hooray for fire safety!
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Loading Dock, 2021 |
The presidential entourage of vehicles reaches its destination -- a loading dock in the belly of the Center. Joining the extra storage in 2021 is extra yellow safety paint and safety poles around a support column. That huge vent shaft on the left is still there, I hadn't ever noticed how humongous it gets to be.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Loading Dock Gate, 2021 |
Press Secretary C.J. Cregg greets the President at the loading dock. Hard to get an overall shot of much of the 2000 view, there is so much Secret Service movement. Where there was once a door on the right side of the 2000 shot, there is now machinery. The metal shelves look to be the same, albeit holding different objects.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Service Hallway and Freight Elevator, 2021 |
Here, the President and C.J. walk-and-talk directly from the loading dock onto a freight elevator. Again, much of the view in 2000 is blocked by Secret Service. There appears to be artwork on either side of the elevator's door in 2000. Now they are blank walls.
Through the magic of television, you are led to believe this freight elevator brings the President up to the Opera House. In reality, this particular elevator doesn't go anywhere near the Opera House, so it wouldn't be much help to him. The freight elevator looks very similar. There's a new switch panel on the left side, and the gate on the far side is now gray. Interesting the paint square on the cinderblocks isn't there in 2000. Wonder what its story is.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Freight Elevator, 2021 |
Through the magic of television, you are led to believe this freight elevator brings the President up to the Opera House. In reality, this particular elevator doesn't go anywhere near the Opera House, so it wouldn't be much help to him. The freight elevator looks very similar. There's a new switch panel on the left side, and the gate on the far side is now gray. Interesting the paint square on the cinderblocks isn't there in 2000. Wonder what its story is.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Opera House Box Tier, 2021 |
Can I first of all note how odd it would be to have a symphony take place in the Opera House instead of the Concert Hall? Aesthetically, the Opera House and its Presidential Box are prettier than the Concert Hall's, which is probably why it was chosen for filming.
As I've noted in the past, the Grand Foyer has become very cluttered over the years, between the banners, bars, necessary accessibility ramps, and touring company merchandise stands. All ground space has been maxed out. No more indoor trees.
The Orrefors lights in the Opera House lobby now have an extra hanging light added on the Box Tier level. These extras are most likely from the two chandeliers that were taken down from each end of the Grand Foyer due to the Millennium Stages. Their addition is a lovely elaboration on what was already there.
Also added is the golden railing along the balcony. This was either added for safety, or for deterring guests from setting drinks/belongings along the top.
Hanging along the front of the balcony today are large posters displaying show images. These are part of If These Halls Could Talk, a temporary installation celebrating the Kennedy Center's 50th anniversary. They showcase momentous festivals and events that have taken place at the Center.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Opera House Box Tier, 2021 |
Here we have the President posing for photos with some people. Today, there is a raised pathway with stairs, ramps, and small seating areas.
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| Raised pathway around the Opera House Box Tier |
Originally, you had to climb up a couple stairs to reach the Presidential Box. When the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed into law, the Kennedy Center started renovating each of its theaters one-by-one to be ADA compliant. During the Opera House's renovation in 2003-2004, its updates included adding this raised section.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Presidential Box - Opera House, 2021 |
Now the President is in his box speaking with members of the Icelandic delegation as Deputy White House Communications Director Sam Seaborn looks on from outside. In the 2003-04 renovation, this box was slightly reconfigured. You can see here there is more wall space on either side of the far door. The chairs have also been changed out. The chairs pictured in 2000 are now reupholstered and placed in the small seating areas just outside the box.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Opera House Box Tier, 2021 |
The President leaves the box to talk with Sam. The raised platform makes another 2021 appearance. On the right side of the 2000 image is a statue of Poseidon. This statue now resides on the Opera House's Tier 1 balcony, one floor above its former location.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Opera House Presidential Seal, 2021 |
As the President reenters his box, the camera pans up to the Presidential Seal that hangs above the box's entryway. I don't have an exact photo of this for 2021. The wall seems to have changed since 2000, probably in the 2003-04 renovation.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Opera House Lobby stairs, 2021 |
C.J. has to take a call during the show! Following her down the stairs is Charlie Young, Personal Aide to the President. In 2000, the artwork on the stairs behind C.J. is the show poster for the Reykjavik Symphony concert the President is attending. Copies of the poster pop up in other places throughout the Kennedy Center scenes. In 2021, in this poster's place is signage going over how guests can access digital programs of their show. Printed programs are no longer guaranteed at each show. This practice was changed during the building's 2020 shutdown to reduce possible touchpoints.
Other changes here include the signage for the Opera House, and a vent being added under the Box Tier balcony on the right.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Grand Foyer, 2021 |
Charlie continues to talk to C.J. as she tries to trek outside. Here we get a view of half of the Grand Foyer. You can see an accessibility ramp has been added, narrowing Grand Foyer floor space. There are also more handrails along the stairs with slight finishing differences.
It's interesting, we are right in front of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bust at this point, but it isn't shown anywhere in the episode. This could be for a number of reasons, the biggest one I can guess at is respecting the memorial area.
At the end of the hall is Millennium Stage! In 2000, you see its second façade iteration. This was composed of trompe l'oeil art painted onto tan curtains. In 2012, the stage was renovated to its current iteration featuring light towers and a large screen.
C.J. has finally made it outside and is chatting on the phone.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Kennedy Center River Plaza, 2021 |
C.J. has finally made it outside and is chatting on the phone.
I'll touch on more of this area in the following photo. Wanted to use this shot in particular to point out the pathways used to be made of marble. That's why there is this really nice sheen reflecting off of it in The West Wing. Since 2000, all the walkway marble has been traded out for a different stone. While beautiful, marble is very slippery when wet. The new stone is safer and keeps the layout pattern, but it doesn't share marble's luster.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Kennedy Center River Plaza, 2021 |
C.J. walks over to the balcony, chatting on the phone while the camera follows her from a distance.
First of all, can we talk about the beautiful cinematography TWW used in this shot? It's full on romantic-fantasy. C.J. in profile, silhouetted by the huge fountain blasts and framed by the willow trees? Gorgeous.
The River Plaza has really declined by degrees since 2000. The fountain doesn't light up anymore. It only shoots up water a fraction of its original height. The willow tree lighting is haphazardly focused, some lights shooting away from the trees. There are some raggedy willow trees (Raggedy is not used in reference to the trees' lack of leaves in 2021, that is due to it being winter, part of their natural seasonal cycle. Raggedy is in reference to some trees lacking any branches, only a trunk). The columns paint has been refreshed, but only to a point 6-8 feet high. The rest is a little faded. Even the stone pathways are showing weathering in places. With it being the 50th anniversary this year, I like to hope a lot of this would have been addressed if not for the pandemic and the budget issues that resulted from it.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Georgetown Waterfront from the Kennedy Center, 2021 |
Tad Whitney, spokesperson from the State Department, follows C.J. out to the balcony to ask her about why she didn't hire him to be her deputy spokesperson (awkward).
Not sure exactly where along the River Plaza this was taken, so my shot is a rough guestimation. Neither fence is a particularly elegant option -- 2000's chain and piping is very elementary, while 2021's looks bulky and reminds me of the fence around the raptor's pen in Jurassic Park.
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Hall of States Entrance, 2021 |
Following the performance, the audience streams out of the Kennedy Center.
The Front Plaza has been reconfigured, so to match the 2000's depth of field, I had to stand on the other side of a planter with trees in 2021.
Audience members and taxis block out most of the details, but two details of note are still present. Originally, the Kennedy Center was surrounded on three sides by square marble planter boxes filled with little trees. One is seen in the 2000 shot on the left side. These have since been removed, although their design is alluded to in the squares that now stand in front of the building's pedestrian entrances. These were added for additional security protection from vehicular attacks.
The Front Plaza has been reconfigured, so to match the 2000's depth of field, I had to stand on the other side of a planter with trees in 2021.
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| Unobstructed view of Hall of States Entry, 2021 |
Audience members and taxis block out most of the details, but two details of note are still present. Originally, the Kennedy Center was surrounded on three sides by square marble planter boxes filled with little trees. One is seen in the 2000 shot on the left side. These have since been removed, although their design is alluded to in the squares that now stand in front of the building's pedestrian entrances. These were added for additional security protection from vehicular attacks.
The other detail of note is the banner hanging over the entryway. Love that it is advertising Millennium Stage. Would the Kennedy Center have hung a banner for one night? I like to think this had been left in place. Banners now use thicker material, so you can't see light and shadow through the banner. It is much easier to read nowadays.
And so the President and his staff return to the White House! Of course, there is much more to the story than what I am imparting. I definitely recommend you check out The West Wing series. It's currently available to stream on HBO Max.
Bonus: Driving to the Kennedy Center
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| The West Wing, 2000 |
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| Lincoln Memorial Circle NW, 2021 |
I moved this to a bonus, because there are THINGS to talk about. So before we get to the Kennedy Center, there is a shot of the presidential motorcade traveling down a winding road. There is not much to go off in this photo, except for the shape of the road and the statue on a pedestal. The statue is one of the two that bookend Arlington Memorial Bridge. So this shot is taken across the street from the Lincoln Memorial! Even though the shot pans by the memorial, the camera stays lowered to the road. Not that there would be much of a view of the memorial from where the camera was placed.
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| View of the Lincoln Memorial, blocked by trees |
Again, it's strange they are shooting right by the memorial, yet not showing said memorial.
Another strange aspect is the actual path the motorcade takes to get to the Center. Much like Jack Ryan's commute in the first episode of his Amazon Prime TV series, the route doesn't seem to make the most sense.
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| Map Data: Google Earth Star #1 - The West Wing of the White House Star #2 - The Kennedy Center Service Tunnel Entrance Orange Arrow - traveling shot |
Here are the episode facts: We start at the White House. There is this shot where the motorcade travels northbound around Lincoln Memorial Circle. Then we end up at the Kennedy Center.
In 2000, the only way you could travel northbound around Lincoln Memorial Circle would be to come from Arlington Memorial Bridge (The circle has since been modified and so now you can also travel there from 23rd Street SW). If they took the bridge, that also means they had to have come from Virginia. There are plenty of routes from the White House to the Kennedy Center that don't involve crossing state lines. There must have been a crazy detour.
To reach the Kennedy Center, they seem to hop from 23rd Street NW to Rock Creek Parkway. Not a really easy way to do this without doubling back or passing the Kennedy Center to achieve this route.
Then, they drive up the hill, from Rock Creek Parkway.
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| The West Wing, 2000 [Repeat] |
However, in 2000, it would be impossible to drive up that hill from the Parkway.
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| Map Data: 1999 Image District of Columbia (DC GIS) via Google Earth Kennedy Center/Watergate Intersections, 1999 Red Arrow: direction of motorcade Orange Star: Service Tunnel Entrance |
In 2000, you could turn off Rock Creek Parkway and into the C Level Parking Garage. From F Street and the parking garages, you can exit onto Rock Creek. But there is no way to travel from Rock Creek onto F Street and proceed up the hill. Unless they illegally travelled the wrong way down a road to get there. What a trip!
So thanks for joining me on this time-traveling tour around the Kennedy Center! Things have generally stayed the same. While there have been changes made, the Kennedy Center and the locations The West Wing shot at in this episode are still very recognizable to this day.
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