Beyond the Classroom: Day of the Dead Exhibit at Harvard

On November 2, over 40 students enrolled in AP Spanish and Honors Spanish IV traveled to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology at Harvard University to visit the Day of the Dead Exhibit and additional galleries.

Photo Album

About the Exhibit

The Peabody Museum's Day of the Dead ofrenda or altar was located in the Encounters With the Americas gallery.

Day of the Dead special altars and papel picado (cut paper banners) were on display in the galleries from Friday October 28 through November 20, 2022.

The exhibit featured pieces from the Alice P. Melvin Collection of Mexican Folk Art and represents the Aztec origins of the holiday and the Catholic symbols incorporated into the tradition, from skeletons to plush Jesus figures.

The altar is contained within a box covered with panels that were decorated by local students and regional and international artists. The altars were designed by the Peabody exhibitions staff and Mexican artists Mizael Sanchez and Monica Martinez. 

Day of the Dead Exhibit | Peabody Museum (harvard.edu)

Visit the link and scroll down for a 360° view of the altar, more about the holiday's origins and traditions, videos, events, and the K–12 program. 
The Peabody Museum's exhibition of a Day of the Dead ofrenda or altar is located in the Encounters With the Americas gallery.

Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and Harvard Museums of Science & Culture in collaboration with the Consulate General of Mexico in Boston and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University.

Thank you to Mrs. Laura O'Connor, World Language Teacher, for making this opportunity possible for our students!