At the beginning of November, Día de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico – a traditional festival for remembering and celebrating deceased friends and relatives.
People of all generations take part in the celebration, but it has a particular focus on children. Children become more familiar with death as a part of life and learn to remember those who have passed away in a joyful way.
Every year, the Historical Museum marks the Day of the Dead with theatre, music and dance.
Programme
- Children's theater at 11:15 AM and 12:15 PM: Theater performance with thrilling Mexican dance. For children in the lecture hall on the second floor. We recommend registering in advance to secure a spot.
- kl. 12:00: H.E. Mr. Omar Fayad The ambassador of Mexico to the Kingdom of Norway gives a greeting from the balcony in the central hall on the top floor. The Mexican embassy supports the event by serving Pan de Muerto, the traditional sweet wheat buns, to the children.
- Experience the large altar on the 1.st. floor by the entrance to Kilden.
- Activity workshop all day: paper flowers, skeletons, coloring, and face painting at Kilden activities area.
- Taste Mexican food from Viva Mexico.
Please note that there may be changes to the program. The event is held in collaboration with the Mexican embassy.
Register for the children's theater at 11:15
Register for the children's theater at 12:15
About the theater performance
We invite you to a colorful children's show about love, imagination, life, and death. The performance is an experiential journey into Mexican culture, and the Mexican tradition of Alebrijes, with fantasy creatures Performers in bright colors.
Featuring: Telma Gomez Murillo, flamenco and Mexican dance by Bellali Austria, music by Mariachi Sol de Oslo, Fernando Jauregi, Jose Luis Garcia and Noah Becerra.
Tickets and practical information
Children always get free entry to the Historical Museum. Adults pay the regular museum ticket, which gives access to the whole museum. If you need an elevator or other accommodations during your visit, contact us at 22 85 99 13..
On Sundays 8, 15 and 22 November, you can still visit the large altar and take part in children’s activities. Make your own colourful paper alebrije, enjoy colouring and other activities at Kilden. You will find the altar on the second floor, by the entrance to the Kilden activity arena.
About Día de los Muertos
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration held on 1 and 2 November each year. It is a traditional festival for celebrating the memories of deceased friends and relatives. People of all generations take part, but the celebration has a particular focus on children, who become familiar with death as a part of life and learn to remember those who have passed away in a joyful way.
In Mexico, people create elaborate altars – ofrendas – for the Day of the Dead. At cemeteries and in people’s homes, photographs of deceased relatives and friends are displayed, and the altars are filled with the favourite foods of those who have passed away. They are lavishly decorated with beautiful flowers, sugar skulls, dolls, textiles, figurines, and symbols from both Mexico’s Indigenous traditions and Catholic saints and iconography. Bread of the Dead – pan de muerto – is always an important part of the altar. Many people may have seen the animated film Coco, which is about the Day of the Dead itself.
Traditionally, Día de los Muertos was celebrated in spring, when Indigenous peoples honoured their ancestors in a fertility ritual. The rituals could include dancing skeletons and decorated skulls. This tradition was misunderstood by the Catholic priests who arrived in the country after the Spanish conquerors seized power in the 16th century. They interpreted it as people making fun of the dead.
Nevertheless, Indigenous peoples held on to the ritual. In time, the Catholic Church accepted that they held the celebration at the same time as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in the Catholic calendar. Over time, Día de los Muertos has therefore developed into the celebration we know today. This is how cultural expressions evolve: they are constantly changing. At the Historical Museum, we mark the day every year with theatre, music and dance.
Collaborators
The event is held in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico, Magiske México. Choreography by Bellali Austria. Music by Mariachi Sol de Oslo.
