Day of the Dead at the National Museum of the American Indian Brings Dance, Marigolds and an Ofrenda to the Mall on Saturday

The National Museum of the American Indian hosts a Day of the Dead event on Saturday, October 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with arts and crafts activities, educational workshops, live dance performances and story times, according to Hola Cultura's guide to the week's Dia de los Muertos events in Washington. Admission is free, and the Smithsonian museum's own calendar lists the October 31 Washington, DC event.

Dia de los Muertos is observed annually on November 1 and 2 and invites the spirits of deceased loved ones back to the world, welcoming them with altars adorned with marigolds, candles, photographs and offerings of favorite foods and drinks, Hola Cultura explained. Rather than a period of mourning, it is an occasion for celebrating with family, both living and dead, and honoring the cycle of life.

At the museum, visitors can watch dance performances by Grupo los Tecuanes, make paper marigolds to be placed on a Catrina statue, and make papel picado, the perforated paper decorations, according to the event listing. The program also includes a demonstration of how pan de muerto, the bread of the dead, is made, and live Catrinas roaming the festival.

Visitors are invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda, the altar, or to commemorate them by writing their names on a butterfly to attach to the memorial arch, according to the listing. The Saturday museum event sits alongside the region's other celebrations this weekend, including Sunday's free celebration at The Wharf.