The Naval Heritage Center, between the National Mall and Penn Quarter, typically hosts around 900 events a year, catering mostly to U.S. Navy groups. But last month, the center began a transformation to appeal to a wider audience and renamed itself the Penn Quarter Conference Center and Theatre at the Naval Heritage Center.
"We have such potential being so close to downtown, but no one knows about us," said events manager Brittney Haworth. "We just want to get our name out there."
In June, the center completed its renovation of the 242-seat Burke Theatre, adding a 46-by-16-foot high-definition screen—the largest in the region, according to the center. The theater also includes a high-grade video camera and teleconferencing and PowerPoint capabilities.
The theater flanks the 1,625-square-foot Gallery Deck, which displays naval exhibitions and can accommodate 225 for a reception and 115 for a seated event.
Nearby, the wood-paneled Presidents Room offers a projection screen and can seat 50 at a U-shaped conference table. The space is appropriately dressed with oil paintings of Presidents with a naval past, such as Gerald Ford and John F. Kennedy.