Colorful skulls, marigold flowers, altars piled with offerings and the unmistakable silhouette of La Catrina: as All Saints’ Day approaches, Día de Muertos returns to Paris in 2026. The Institut culturel du Mexique in France and several partners are offering a range of events between the 20 October and 30 November, featuring exhibitions, photography and cultural events to better understand this Mexican tradition.
Far from being just a Mexican spin on Halloween, the Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, marks a deep connection to loss and memory. Families honor the deceased with altars, offerings, flowers, and objects that evoke their lives. The festival blends traditions from various origins, including pre-Hispanic and Catholic roots. The indigenous rites dedicated to the dead have been inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity since 2008.
From October 29 to November 7, 2026, the Mexican Cultural Institute presents "Día de Muertos, a Tradition That Binds Us." The exhibition pairs an altarpiece for the dead conceived by Guillermo Manzano, founder of Del Corazón de la Tierra Gallery, with Eunice Chao's photographs honoring prominent figures in intellectual and artistic life.
The display also features a tzompantli from the Museo de Arte Popular de México’s collection. In the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican world, these structures were used to exhibit human skulls in a ritual context. Its inclusion here evokes depictions of death that predate Spanish colonization.
The exhibition also sits within the framework of the bicentennial of relations between Mexico and France, highlighting the cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The celebration also steps outside the Institute’s walls. From October 30 to November 30, 2026, the photographic exhibition "Día de Muertos, a celebration of life and death" will be displayed on the railings of the Buttes-Chaumont Park, in the 19th arrondissement.
The photographs reveal the many facets of this tradition: altars and offerings, marigolds, costumes, dances, gastronomy, folk arts and rituals. They also remind us that Día de Muertos is not celebrated the same way across Mexico. Practices vary by region and community and continue to evolve. After debuting in Mexico City in 2025, the exhibition arrives in Paris this year.
A third event accompanies this program. From October 20 to November 1, 2026, the 24th Day of the Dead Festival in Paris, organized by the Nadieshda CCI collective, offers a range of activities around Mexican traditions.
Costumes, music, parades and makeup highlight La Catrina, the elegantly dressed female skeleton who has become one of the most recognizable icons of Mexican popular culture. Originating in the engraving by José Guadalupe Posada, she was later popularized by Diego Rivera, notably in his fresco Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central in 1947.
With these various engagements, Día de Muertos in Paris unfolds from multiple angles, tracing its historical roots to its contemporary expressions, while underscoring its core idea: to keep the memory of the departed alive and to celebrate the bonds between generations. To learn all about the different events and activities planned for the occasion, head to the site officiel de l'événement.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
Dates and Opening Time
From October 29, 2026 to November 7, 2026
Prices
Free
Official website
icm.sre.gob.mx
