Night of Catrinas is a cultural and family project celebrated by the Museum of the Americas in conjunction with the commemoration of the Mexico's Day of the Dead, a sister country with which we have collaborated on cultural exchanges throughout our long history as an institution. The event, which takes place on last Thursday of October of each year, honors Latin American traditions, including Aztec invocations, music, traditional dances, performances, altars and traditional food, as well as a variety of guest artisans in its celebrations.

Over the past ten years, the celebration has become a highly anticipated activity, visited by dozens of people. Altars/installations have been commissioned from Puerto Rican artists such as Antonio Martorell, Damaris Cruz, and Elizabeth Barreto, among others. These altars have been dedicated to a variety of important figures, as well as relevant social contexts within Puerto Rican culture and history, including Doña Rafaela Balladares, Ricardo Alegría Gallardo, Carmen Ana Patricia "Mela" Pons Castañer, Ricardo Alegría Pons, Abelardo Díaz Alfaro, Cecilia Orta Allende, and others. In 2019, the altar commissioned by artist Elizabeth Barreto was dedicated to the victims of gender violence. This altar is now part of the museum's permanent collection, on display in the Popular Arts of the Americas gallery. 

During this activity, the museum opens all exhibition halls for visitors to enjoy, further enriching the experience. The hallways on the second floor of the Ballajá Barracks are adorned with decorations and themed lights, transforming the museum into a space for celebrating life, commemorating our ancestors, and highlighting the cultural festivals of the countries that make up the American continent.

This 2025, the Night of Catrinas will be celebrated on Thursday, October 30th from 5:00pm to 9:00pmFor more information, keep an eye on the calendar and our social media channels: