The Nevada State Museum, Carson City, invites the public to celebrate the traditional Mexican holiday Dia de Los Muertos Friday and Saturday, Nov. 5-6, at the museum.
An altar presentation will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 5, and will include music and traditional refreshments.
Festivities continue on Nov. 6, with a free-admission day include traditional crafts, music and dance from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members of the community can participate in creating a community altar, which memorializes loved ones who have died.
“We look forward to offering this event every year,” Myron Freedman, director of the Nevada Division of Museums and History, said. “It is a joint effort with Visit Carson City, the Carson City Downtown Business Association, Western Nevada College and many others that brings the community together to remember loved ones who have passed on, and it’s a great opportunity to check out the museum’s many exhibits.”
Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, traces its roots to the time of the Aztec people in Central America, but was later influenced by cultural and religious practices brought by the Spanish. Today, it is widely celebrated in Mexico and the American Southwest.
Special exhibits, or altars, are set up as memorials to departed loved ones and often contain items that were special to them. That may include a photo of the person, samples of their favorite foods, symbols of activities they enjoyed and bright yellow flowers. Pan de muerto, a special holiday bread, is abundantly displayed during the festival. Sugar skulls, or calavera, are decorated, and fancy paper cutouts, or papel picado, add color to homes, tables and altars during the holiday.
The museum is at 600 N. Carson St. in Carson City. Face coverings must be worn inside the museum by all visitors. Regular museum admission is $10 adults and free for members and children ages 17 and younger.
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