Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) Celebration

Museum of Nature and Science will be offering a Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebration at which children may learn about the values and beliefs of the Mexican culture and how certain beliefs may be shared and reinforced through celebration.

The “Day of the Dead” (Día de los Muertos) is a beautiful ritual which begins on Oct. 31 and goes through Nov. 2 in which families of Mexican heritage remember their deceased loved ones. Children decorate sugar skulls (Calaveras) along with festive skeletons to be placed on homemade altars. It is a blend of ancient beliefs and religious customs that focuses on the celebration of life. Children attending will decorate a traditional sugar skull and paper skeleton.

The Children’s Museum My House exhibit will be decorated for the festivities with traditional play foods and traditional dress, along with a small altar (ofrenda) display remembering the life of the former “First Cat” of the Clinton administration, Socks the cat. Socks lived to be about 20 years old.