“Rieles y Raíces: Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest” takes a closer look at Mexican railroad workers and how the roots they planted still shape communities today.

El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a tradition that dates back centuries. The Mexican holiday honors deceased loved ones by creating altars and sharing memories.

Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

WTTW News arts correspondent Marc Vitali highlights the city’s must-see cultural events.

The National Museum of Mexican Art is working in collaboration with the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History. The limestone frieze is estimated to be from between 500 to 900 C.E., overlapping with the Classic Period of the Mayan civilization in Mexico, according to the museum.

The Smithsonian is hosting the event series in collaboration with Chicago’s Center for Native Futures, the National Museum of Mexican Art, the National Public Housing Museum and the South Side Community Art Center. Events are set to take place Sept. 20-28. All events are free and open to the public.

Femme fatales and goddesses play for keeps at a new exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art. These deities and grande dames — etched in rock or molded from clay — are in Pilsen through July.

If you’re seeking activities that don’t break the bank this winter, look no further than local museums, zoos and gardens. A number have announced free admission days in 2024.

Carlos Tortolero, founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art, is retiring after more than four decades with the museum and Pilsen community hub. 

If approved by the Chicago City Council, the National Museum of Mexican Art will acquire the building at 2358 S. Whipple St. It would be used by Yollocalli Arts Reach, an initiative of the museum aimed at providing arts and culture programming to teens and young adults.

The fire station at 2358 S. Whipple St. was in use for more than a century but has been vacant since 2011 when a new fire station was built two blocks away. The Chicago Historic Resources Survey determined the two-story structure is significant in the context of the surrounding community.

What does it mean to be native Mexican after centuries of colonization? And how do those cultures present themselves today, despite efforts at their erasure? Those questions are at the heart of a new art exhibition. 

This weekend, the Queen of Tejano Music is being celebrated with “Bidi Bidi Boom Boom: The Selena Tribute Dance Party” at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen, where a group of performers and drag artists are bringing some of Selena’s legendary music to life for Chicago audiences.

The National Museum of Mexican Art launched its annual Sor Juana Festival, an event series featuring Mexican and Mexican-American artists. The festival’s name honors 17th century Mexican nun, mathematician, writer and activist Sor Juana Ines de La Cruz.

For the 36th year, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen is presenting an ever-changing art exhibit that celebrates love and loss. This year’s Day of the Dead exhibition blends the contemporary with the traditional. Its somber tone is meant to be a reflection of the world at large.

A collection of personal photos of Mexican-born artist Frida Kahlo is now on exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen. This collection was first presented in Mexico City in 2007, revealing intimate parts and relationships in Kahlo’s life.