Almost anything but the most lavish opera or musical can be accommodated in the cavernous 3, 191- seat hall, such as recent performances by Liza Minnelli, the Merchants of Bollywood, and the Mariinsky Ballet performing . When this theater opened in 1960 as . . .

This center has been presenting theater, music, dance, opera, film, and forums on public issues since 1970. The two main halls are the luxuriously appointed and the both venues for recitals and performances by companies like the Canadian Stage Company, . . .

Darth Vader proclaiming he' s Luke Skywalker' s father, John Travolta preening in his underwear and an early 20th- century deaf activist communicating in sign language are among the images that will be preserved by the Library of Congress as part of its National Film Registry. The 25 films selected this year include " The Empire Strikes Back, " the 1980 sequel to " Star Wars" that many critics and fans consider the best of George Lucas' six " Star Wars" films. " Empire" shocked moviegoers with the revelation that masked villain Darth Vader was the father of hero Skywalker. While Lucas didn' t direct " Empire" & mdash; he entrusted it to the late Irvin Kershner & mdash; he got another film selected for the registry: the student short " Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB. " Lucas' " Star Wars" and " American Graffiti" are also among the 550 titles in the registry. The Library of Congress announced the selections early Tuesday. The goal of the registry, which began in 1989, isn' t to identify the best movies ever made, but to preserve films with artistic, cultural or historical significance.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has chosen each of the films in the registry, culling them from suggestions by the National Film Preservation Board and the public. More than 2, 100 films were nominated by the public in 2010.

Original copies of films picked for the registry are kept safe and available for viewing by future generations. The library acquires copies to preserve in its cold- storage vaults among millions of other recordings at the Packard Campus of the National Audio- Visual Conservation Center near Culpeper, Va. Film can rapidly deteriorate if improperly stored. About half the films produced before 1950 and 90 percent of those made before 1920 have been lost, Billington said. This year' s selections also include " Saturday Night Fever, " John Badham' s 1977 disco musical starring John Travolta as Tony Manero, the working- class youth known for his impressive moves on the dance floor at a Brooklyn nightclub.

It' s one of five selections from the 1970s. The others are Robert Altman' s revisionist Western " Mc. Cabe & amp; Mrs.

Miller; " William Friedkin' s horror classic " The Exorcist; " ' ' All the President' s Men, " Alan J. Pakula' s adaptation of the book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and " Grey Gardens, " a documentary about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' eccentric relatives. The selections date back to 1891, with one of the first motion pictures ever made: " Newark Athlete, " a short film of a teenager swinging Indian clubs, an exercise aid. The film was made at the Edison Laboratory in West Orange, N.

J. , by two pioneers of motion- picture camera technology.

Another obscure title is 1913' s " Preservation of the Sign Language, " a two- minute film of George Veditz, one- time president of the National Association of the Deaf of the United States. Veditz was one of the first to make motion picture recordings of American Sign Language, and in the film, he argues forcefully for the right of deaf people to sign instead of speak. " That was a great revelation, " Billington said. As in the past, the selections show the Library of Congress has a sense of humor. Two broad comedies & mdash; " Airplane! " the 1980 disaster- film spoof, and " The Pink Panther" ( 1964) , starring Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau & mdash; were tapped for preservation.

The most recent films chosen were " Study of a River, " an experimental 1996 film about the Hudson River, and " Malcolm X, " Spike Lee' s 1992 biography of the civil rights leader. Documentaries picked this year include John Huston' s " Let There Be Light" ( 1946) , which the Pentagon banned from public distribution for 35 years because of its frank depiction of psychological trauma among combat veterans.

While Billington enjoys the popular films selected for the registry, he takes more satisfaction in unearthing lesser- known titles with lasting significance.

He pushes the board to find examples from underrepresented categories such as industrial and abstract films. " The most interesting thing for me is not seeing something I like make the list, but getting educated by the list that comes out of this process, " he said.

National Film Registry: http: / / www. loc. gov/ film

Constitution Gardens & nbsp; . Many ideas were proposed to develop this 50- acre site near the Reflecting Pool and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

It once held " temporary" buildings erected by the Navy before World War I and not removed until after World War II. President Nixon is said to have favored something resembling Copenhagen' s Tivoli Gardens.

The final design was plainer, with paths winding through groves of trees and, on the lake, a tiny island paying tribute to the signers of the Declaration of Independence, their signatures carved into a low stone wall. In 1986 President Reagan proclaimed the gardens a living legacy to the Constitution; in that spirit, a naturalization ceremony for new citizens now takes place here each year. Constitution Ave. between 17th and 23rd Sts.

NW, White House area, 20024. . Foggy Bottom. Dumbarton Oaks & nbsp; . One of the loveliest places for a stroll in Washington is Dumbarton Oaks, the acres of enchanting gardens adjoining Dumbarton House in Georgetown. Planned by noted landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, the gardens incorporate elements of traditional English, Italian, and French styles such as a formal rose garden, an English country garden, and an orangery ( circa 1810) .

A full- time crew of a dozen gardeners toils to maintain the stunning collection of terraces, geometric gardens, tree- shaded brick walks, fountains, arbors, and pools. Plenty of well- positioned benches make this a good place for resting weary feet, too. You enter the gardens at 31st and R streets. Dumbarton House & nbsp; houses world- renowned collections of Byzantine and pre- Columbian art. 1703 32nd St.

NW, Georgetown, 20007. PHONE: 202/ 339- 6401 or 202/ 339- 6400. . COST: Gardens: Apr. - Oct. $ 8, Nov. - Mar. free. OPEN: Gardens: Apr. - Oct. , Tues. - Sun. 2- 6; Nov. - Mar. , Tues. - Sun.

2- 5. Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens & nbsp; . Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post purchased the 25- acre Hillwood Estate in 1955. Post devoted as much attention to her gardens as she did to the 40- room Georgian mansion: you can wander through 13 acres of them, including a Japanese rock and waterfall garden, a manicured formal French garden, a rose garden, Mediterranean fountains, and a greenhouse full of orchids. The " Lunar Lawn, " where she threw garden parties that were the most coveted invitation in Washington society, is planted with dogwood, magnolia, cherry, and plum trees, as well as azaleas, camellias, lilacs, tulips, and pansies.

The estate is best reached by taxi or car ( parking is available on the grounds) . It' s a 20- to 30- minute walk from the Metro. 4155 Linnean Ave.

NW, Northwest, 20008. PHONE: 202/ 686- 5807 or 202/ 686- 8500. .

COST: House and grounds $ 12. OPEN: Feb. - Dec. , Tues. - Sat.

10- 5. Van Ness/ UDC. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens & nbsp; . Exotic water lilies, lotuses, hyacinths, and other water- loving plants thrive in this 14- acre sanctuary of quiet ponds and marshy flats.

The gardens' wetland animals include turtles, frogs, beavers, spring azure butterflies, and some 40 species of birds. In July nearly everything blossoms; early morning is the best time to visit, when day- bloomers are just opening and night- bloomers have yet to close. The nearest Metro stop is a 15- minute walk away. Anacostia Ave. and Douglas St. NE, Anacostia, 20019.

PHONE: 202/ 426- 6905. . COST: Free. OPEN: Gardens and visitor center, daily 7- 4; garden tours daily at 9, 10, and 11.

Deanwood. Tudor Place & nbsp; . A little more than a block from Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown is this little- known gem, the former home of Martha Washington' s granddaughter. The house has 5.

5 acres of gardens that offer impressive replications of Federal- period gardens and include 19th- century specimen trees and boxwoods from Mount Vernon. Make time for a one- hour tour of the house itself, which features many rare possessions of George and Martha Washington.

1644 31st Pl. NW, Georgetown, 20007. PHONE: 202/ 965- 0400. . COST: $ 8, garden $ 3.

OPEN: House tours: Tues. - Sat. on the hr 10- 3; Sun. on the hr noon- 3. Garden: Mon. - Sat.

10- 4, Sun. noon- 4. Closed Jan. Woodley Park or Dupont Circle. United States Botanic Garden & nbsp; . Established by Congress in 1820, this is the oldest botanic garden in North America.

The garden conservatory sits at the foot of Capitol Hill, in the shadow of the Capitol building. It offers an escape from the stone and marble federal office buildings that surround it; inside are exotic rain- forest species, desert flora, and trees from all parts of the world. A special treat is the extensive collection of rare and unusual orchids. Walkways suspended 24 feet above the ground provide a fascinating view of the plants.

A relatively new addition is the National Garden, opened in 2006, which emphasizes educational exhibits. The garden features the Rose Garden, Butterfly Garden, Lawn Terrace, First Ladies' Water Garden, and Regional Garden.

1st St. and Maryland Ave.

SW, Capitol Hill, 20024. PHONE: 202/ 225- 8333. . COST: Free. OPEN: Daily 10- 5; National Garden closes at 7. Federal Center SW.

United States National Arboretum & nbsp; . During azalea season ( mid- April through May) this 446- acre oasis is a blaze of color. In early summer, clematis, peonies, rhododendrons, and roses bloom.

At any time of year the 22 original Corinthian columns from the U. Capitol, re- erected here in 1990, are striking.

For a soothing, relaxing walk, visit the Cryptomeria Walk and Japanese Stroll Garden, which are part of the Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

On weekends a tram tours the arboretum' s curving roadways at 10: 30, 11: 30, 1, 2, 3, and 4; tickets are $ 4. The National Herb Garden & nbsp; and the National Bonsai Collection & nbsp; are also here.

3501 New York Ave. NE, Northeast, 20002. PHONE: 202/ 245- 2726. . COST: Free.

OPEN: Arboretum and herb garden daily 8- 5, bonsai collection daily 10- 4. Weekends only, Union Station, then X6 bus ( runs every 40 mins) ; weekdays, Stadium/ Armory, then B2 bus to Bladensburg Rd. and R St.