El Museo del Barrio Presents Super Sábado: Día de Los Muertos Celebration

Saturday, November 1, 2025, 12:00 PM — 6:00 PM | FREE Admission 

Visitors can RSVP here. First come, first served 

El Museo del Barrio is thrilled to present its annual SUPER SÁBADO: Día de los Muertos celebration on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Offering free admission, this beloved tradition invites visitors of all ages to honor loved ones who have passed and to experience the vibrant cultural expressions of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 

This day-long celebration that has been hosted since the 1990s at El Museo del Barrio transforms the Museum into a space of joy, reflection, and cultural pride, featuring live performances, art-making workshops, calavera face painting, a communal altar, and more. 

The event artwork was created by illustrator Andrea Pardo. 

Community Altar: Ofrenda de Nuestra Herencia 

In collaboration with The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center, El Museo del Barrio debuts the 2025 Día de los Muertos Community Altar, designed by renowned visual artist Nitza Tufiño. With over five decades as a muralist, printmaker, and public artist, Tufiño is celebrated for her transformative contributions to community-based art in New York, Puerto Rico, and beyond. 

“El Museo del Barrio would not exist without the vision and activism of artists like Nitza Tufiño,” said Patrick Charpenel, Executive Director of El Museo del Barrio. “We are honored to celebrate Día de los Muertos with an altar created by Tufiño whose work embodies the spirit of community, remembrance, and resilience.” 

Titled Ofrenda de Nuestra Herencia, the altar reflects Mexican mestizo traditions honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe (Lupita) while also embracing the Afro-Caribbean spiritual practices that emerged from the blending of Catholicism and Yoruba religions. Its Aztec pyramid structure—created by Dominican-American house and furniture designer Pedro Ortiz of PNS LLC— symbolizes the spiritual journey of the soul on its journey to Mictlan. The structure features the colors of the Siete Potencias Africanas on each level, honoring the Yoruba Orishas. The altar also pays tribute to the traditions of Mexicans of African descent, including the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca. 

Through original artwork and colorful banners, the altar also commemorates Latine artists and activists who have passed, including Rafael Tufiño, Eddie Palmieri, Hiram Maristany, Dylcia Pagán, Pedro Pietri, Clemente Soto Vélez, Bernardo Vega, Yolanda Sánchez, Tony Bechara, and The Young Lords (José “Cha Cha” Jiménez and Pablo “Yoruba” Guzmán). 

“I am honored to present Ofrenda de Nuestra Herencia for El Museo del Barrio’s Día de los Muertos celebration,” said artist Nitza Tufiño. “This altar is an explosion of color and spirit, celebrating the living traditions of Latin America. ¡Qué vivan los nuestros!” 

The altar will invite the public to honor their own ancestors, and will become a transformative space of remembrance, resilience, and collective healing. It will be on view at El Museo from October 9 through November 21, 2025 during open hours (Thursday through Sunday), accompanied by activations presented under the Migration and Spirituality thematic track of Historias—the Clemente’s expansive citywide initiative that weaves scholarly research, oral histories, and cultural programming to re-center Latinx narratives in NYC that underscore how ritual, art, and memory sustain diasporic communities. This altar coincides with The Clemente Center’s new augmented-reality public monument, Cigar Workers’ University, by artist Molly Crabapple in collaboration with historian Monxo López at La Marqueta, which also honors the legacy of writer and labor leader Bernardo Vega. The public is invited to celebrate the launch of the monument on October 22 from 5 – 7 pm, RSVP here 

Highlights of the Day Include:  

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM (Meet at El Museo del Barrio) – Join Atl Tlachinolli, a Conchero dance group, for a procession from El Museo del Barrio to Central Park’s Harlem Meer. The group will return to perform in El Museo’s courtyard before blessing the communal altar.  

1:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Explore the communal altar Ofrenda de Nuestra Herencia by artist Nitza Tufiño. The altar honors East Harlem Latine community artists and activists and highlights Afro-Mexican and Caribbean spiritual traditions. Join the artist and museum educators to learn more about the symbolic elements of the altar and to add a dedication to your loved ones who have passed.  

1:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Join Calaveritas Creativas workshop, to design your very own colorful sugar skull mask. 

1:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Inspired by Nitza’s Ofrenda de Nuestra Herencia altar, use mixed media to create a banner commemorating a loved one who has passed. Participants are encouraged to bring a photo of their loved ones to include in their artwork. 

1:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Enjoy traditional face painting inspired by vibrant calavera (skull) designs. 

1:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Capture the moment with La Catrina y el Catrín in our festive photo booth. 

1:45 PM – 2:05 PM – Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Nueva York (BFMNY) presents a vibrant performance that celebrates Mexico’s cultural richness through a fusion of traditional dances. 

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM – Experience Danza de Tecuanes San Gabriel (Dance of the Jaguars)—a powerful story of villagers uniting to capture a fierce jaguar, symbolizing a history of resistance and communities defending their land. 

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM – Experience the lively sounds of Mariachi Sol Azteca from NYC, renowned for their energy, passion, and authentic Mexican spirit. 

3:45 PM – 4:00 PM – Feel the energy of Danza de los Diablos, an Afro-Mexican tradition from Guerrero and Oaxaca that honors African roots through vibrant masks, lively rhythms, and powerful dance. 

4:15 PM – Follow the sounds of Mariachi Sol Azteca from NYC as they invite you into El Teatro for our culminating performance. 

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM – End the day with a captivating performance by Oaxacan singer Nylzher and Mazarte Dance Company blending folkloric music and dance from various regions of Mexico. 

Sponsors and Partners: 

This program is generously supported by Morgan Stanley, with additional support from U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and NYC Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala. Special thanks to The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center for partnering on this year’s altar. 

We are also grateful to partner with the Central Park Conservancy on this special event. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

Nitza Tufiño is a pioneering muralist, printmaker, and public artist. Daughter of Puerto Rican painter Rafael Tufiño and Mexican dancer Luz María Aguirre, she grew up between San Juan and New York City. Tufiño has shaped the cultural fabric of East Harlem and beyond through public art, murals, education programs, and community-based projects that celebrate Latine and Indigenous heritage. Her practice blends art with activism, creating intergenerational spaces for dialogue, storytelling, and cultural preservation. 

ABOUT SUPER SÁBADO 

Since 2009, SUPER SÁBADO has been a free public program series for all ages on select Saturdays during the year. These day-long events at El Museo highlight the museum’s arts and cultural programs and provide the opportunity to share them with New York City (and visitors from the tri-state area) free-of-charge. Through free concerts, exhibitions, art-making workshops, film screenings, and performances, SUPER SÁBADO showcases traditions, cultural expressions, and the latest in Latin American and Latino art. 

ABOUT EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO 

El Museo del Barrio is the nation’s leading Latine and Latin American cultural institution. The Museum welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of these communities through its extensive Permanent Collection, varied exhibitions and publications, bilingual public programs, educational activities, festivals, and special events. The Museum is located at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street in New York City. The Museum is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11:00am – 5:00pm. Pay what you wish. To connect with El Museo via social media, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. For more information, please visit www.elmuseo.org.