Day of the Dead Ofrendas

In 2016, the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Day of the Dead Ofrenda program was at a turning point. An opportunity arose to transition the popular public program to an annually scheduled exhibition which would provide increased staff support, a larger budget, and dedicated gallery space, among other resources, ensuring that this community-based project would continue for generations. In this case study, we share a brief history of the program, provide overviews of the museum’s visitor-centered practices and the supported interpretation model, and describe how the 2016 exhibition was planned and developed. We conclude with visitor attendance, satisfaction and engagement data, and reflections by some of the participants, which shed light on the impact of the exhibition, its importance, and the opportunities that lie ahead for the project. Our hope is to inspire other museum professionals to explore interpretive engagement and visitor-centered exhibition practices to create more engaging and participatory experiences for visitors.