Tanner Amphitheater, Historic amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, United States.

The James Tanner Amphitheater is a wood and brick amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, built in 1873. It has a central platform and rows of benches set within a grove of trees, and was the cemetery's main public meeting space until Memorial Amphitheater opened in 1920.

The amphitheater was built in 1873 under General Montgomery Meigs' direction and served as the primary ceremonial space of Arlington National Cemetery until 1920. After that year, other locations took on the role of hosting major commemorative events at the cemetery.

The structure was renamed in 2014 to honor a Civil War veteran who documented the investigation into President Lincoln's assassination. This naming reflects the cemetery's connection to that pivotal historical moment.

The amphitheater is located in Section 26 near Sherman and Meigs Drives within the cemetery grounds. Visitors can access it during regular cemetery hours, and it is worth taking time to walk around the elliptical pathway to fully appreciate the architectural design.

The amphitheater was built on the site of "the Grove," a wooded area with tall elm and oak trees and an informal flower garden tended by the Custis daughters. By 1865, most of the Grove had been lost to troop activity and firewood cutting.