The best Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and the world!
The days when our most beloved deceased come to visit us are approaching so it is time to decorate our house and put up the traditional Day of the Dead altar.
The Day of the Dead was named Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 by UNESCO. For this reason, every year we can find extraordinary altars, ofrendas and celebrations throughout Mexico and the world that you cannot miss to appreciate and learn from this beautiful Mexican tradition.
If you are in Mexico:
Anahuacalli Museum
The offerings that this museum puts together year after year are always highly anticipated because they surprise us with their very particular style. This year's offering is titled “Pico y Chapo” in honour of the nicknames of Diego Rivera's daughters, “Pico” was Guadalupe Rivera Marín, while “Chapo” was Ruth. This ofrenda seeks to honour their memory, their talent, but above all family love.
More info here.
Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo Museum)
This year the museum honours the legacy of Carlos Pellicer, a writer, poet and close friend of Frida Kahlo who, upon Frida's death, dedicated himself to organizing the heritage left by the painter in her Casa Azul, today converted into one of the most beautiful museums from Mexico.
More info here.
Museo Kaluz
This museum is paying tribute to the iconic Mexican actor, comedian and singer Germán Valdés, better known as Tin Tan and of course this year's ofrenda is dedicated to his life and memory. The altar is called “From Mictlán to the home where I was born” and remembers the deceased through words. A beautiful ofrenda!
More info here.
Pátzcuaro, Michoacán
But if you want to experience the authentic celebration, you must visit the State of Michoacán, specifically Pátzcuaro and its surroundings, where you can contemplate the wake ritual carried out by the indigenous communities who gather in the cemeteries to eat and talk with their deceased surrounded by flowers, incense and candles, an experience you have to live!
More info here.
Outside Mexico:
Casa de México en España
In Madrid, Casa de México en España puts up spectacular offerings for the Day of the Dead every year. This year they pay tribute to 30 Mexican women who, thanks to their work and creativity, marked the history of the country. On the altar you can find some of the women honoured such as Chavela Vargas, Dolores Olmedo, Frida Kahlo, la Malinche, Remedios Varo, among others.
More info here.
Peabody Museum of Archaelogy & Ethnology (Harvard University)
The ofrenda is a collaborative work, created with objects from the collections of the Alice Melvin Museum of Mexican Popular Art and represents the Aztec origins of the holiday with Catholic symbols incorporated into Mexican tradition. There are also a lot of cultural activities in order to appreciate this Mexican tradition.
More info here.
Mexic Arte Museum
This Museum in Austin, Texas is dedicated to enriching the community through the preservation and interpretation of Mexican art and culture. This year you can visit a permanent collection inspired by Day of the Dead icons and you can participate in the Community Ofrenda by contributing a photograph of a loved one.
More info here.
National Museum of Mexican Art
In Chicago, for the 37th consecutive year, a collection of altars and works of art are on display that pay tribute to the lives of loved ones who have left us. This year the offering is dedicated to the thousands of people who died in the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, also to women around the world who have been raped, missing or murdered, and to distinguished artists and friends who passed away this year.
More info here.
We hope you can visit some of this ofrendas, which one was your favorite?