Kansas City families are invited to a joyful day of color, music and remembrance on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when the Dia de los Muertos Festival returns to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the museum and the festival is free, and every activity and performance is free too.
The heart of the celebration is the “Path of Memories” altar installation in Kirkwood Hall, on view October 24 through November 2. Follow the marigold path to meet hummingbirds — messengers carrying the energy of loved ones who have passed — and the Xoloitzcuintli, the spirit dog believed to guide souls. Guests can add their own paper remembrances near the display. This 16th annual installation is a collaboration with the Mattie Rhodes Cultural Art Center, the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City and students from Guadalupe Centers High School.
All day long, children can make a paper hummingbird finger puppet, join bilingual story time with the KCK South Branch Library at 11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., take home a mini print from the Viva la Tinta community printmaking bike, and pose for photos with La Calavera Catrina and the giant puppet Elena Lucia. Folkloric dancers — including Grupo Folklorico del Sol, Los Bailadores de Kansas City and Alma Tapatia — and mariachi groups fill the auditorium and Bloch Lobby, and a low-sensory break room offers a calm pause whenever little ones need it.
Come hungry: The Tamale Kitchen food truck and Mexican-inspired dishes round out the day. Advance registration is encouraged for a quicker check-in. It is a beautiful, welcoming way for the whole family to honor loved ones and celebrate together.
Photo: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
