Celebrate Día de los Muertos Family Day

The Columbus Museum of Art is hosting a Celebrate Día de los Muertos Family Day on Sunday, November 1, from 10 AM to 5 PM. It's a full day dedicated to Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, a tradition that originates in Mexico and is observed on November 1 and 2. If you're not familiar with it, it's a distinct tradition from Halloween, and the museum's family day is a good place to see it in action.

At the heart of the holiday are the altars families build in their homes—colorful displays decorated with the four elements of nature, with the marigold as the traditional flower. Families also spend time in the cemetery during these days. The food is a big part of the festivities, too: tamales, pan de muerto (the 'bread of the dead'), and handmade sugar skulls are staples. It's a celebration described as joyous rather than mournful, and that's the spirit the museum is bringing to the day.

It's set up as a family day, so it works as a way to introduce the tradition to kids or just spend a Sunday morning and afternoon with it. The museum is at 480 East Broad Street, right in the center of things. Admission is completely free, and that includes general access as well as entry to the exhibitions, so you can walk through the galleries before or after the celebration. It runs from 10 AM to 5 PM, which gives you plenty of room to come and go as you like throughout the day.