The Community Ofrenda: Where Memory Becomes Home, is an annual installation that celebrates the enduring traditions of El Día de Muertos while honoring the diverse communities that call Queens home.
Rooted in Indigenous practices that have been commemorated for thousands of years in what is now Mexico and Central America, the ofrenda invites the people we carry in our hearts to return home once again. An ofrenda is more than an altar, it is a site where grief and love take form through ritual. It reminds us that home is not only a place, but also the memories, stories, and customs that continue to live within us.
The ofrenda honors the legacy of ancestors through personal mementos alongside iconic symbols such as calaveras (skulls), papel picado (elaborate paper banners), and marigolds, affectionately called cempasúchil (flowers of dead). Their brilliant color and fragrance are believed to guide spirits back to our loved ones.
The Queens Museum’s Community Ofrenda is created through the collective care, creativity, and generosity of community members, artists, cultural practitioners, and local organizations. Members come together each year to build this sacred offering.