Kennedy Center rodents may have originated from Italian marble shipments

An investigation by the New York Times suggests that a unique population of rodents inhabiting the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., may have originated from Italy. These mice, described as being half the size of common gray domestic mice with golden-brown fur and pearl-white bellies, bear a strong morphological resemblance to the wild Alpine mice found in the Apuane Alps.

The theory posits that the rodents arrived in the United States during the 1960s as stowaways within the 3,700 tons of white Carrara marble donated by Italy to construct the memorial. The marble, extracted from the Apuane region, was used for the center's facade and interior walls. While the New York Times notes that proving this connection decades later is nearly impossible, the distinct physical characteristics of the Kennedy Center mice have long fascinated staff and observers.

The investigation comes as the Kennedy Center prepares for radical renovations and pest control measures. The rodents have become a part of the center's lore, including a notable 2018 incident where a mouse wandered through the Concert Hall during a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra.