Penn Museum honors Day of the Dead with massive altar dedicated to Mexican artist [photos]

    Children of all ages will get to enjoy music, storytelling, mask making, face painting, along with more family fun activities at the Penn Museum’s Day of the Dead celebration on Saturday, November 2.

    The highlight of the celebration is a traditional Día de los Muertos altar honoring Mexican cartoonist and illustrator José Guadalupa Posada. The artist is best known for his illustration of “La Catrina” or elegant skull, which has become an iconic image of Day of the Dead.

     A newly created 16-foot “La Catrina” puppet by Philadelphia artist Cesar Viveros stands off to the right of the tribute to Posada. Visitors may shake hands with the “La Catrina” sculpture and are also welcome to place food, flowers, and pictures on the altar to honor the life of someone who has died.

    The Day of the Dead altar will be on display at the Penn Museum through November 7.

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