Any traveling man knows there’s endless light to be found in the craft. By journeying across the jurisdiction to witness new degrees and connect with brethren from all over, Brothers continually find new meaning and significance in the teachings of Freemasonry. However, there is also much to be gained by exploring the past and current history of our fraternity at several Masonic institutions found across the globe.
Fortunately, today’s technology has made many of our fraternity’s finest monuments, exhibits, and artifacts accessible to all through virtual tours and programming. As you await your next chance to gather with brethren to witness a degree or travel to lands far from home to excite your Masonic pride, consider expanding your Masonic knowledge by “visiting” any one of these six virtual Masonic exhibits:
1. Take a Tour of the George Washington Masonic Memorial
Inside of the George Washington Masonic Memorial
One of the most sought after destinations for American Freemasons is the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. Designed and built by Freemasons, the Memorial is home to a Masonic museum, research library, active Masonic temple, a performing arts center, and much more. While you’ll have to wait to visit in-person to view everything the memorial has to offer, you can take a virtual tour of the building, including its lodges and museum online. As a bonus, you can get a true taste of what it’s like to stand in the halls of the historic building by taking advantage of their immersive virtual reality offerings.
2. Explore Freemasonry’s Ties to American History at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library
Since 1975, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library (SRMML), one of our four charities, has been dedicated to telling the story of Freemasonry and fraternalism in the context of American history. Through its collection and preservation of fraternal artifacts and regalia, and its staff’s deep study of American and Masonic history, the SRMML is home to hundreds of vintage items and educational exhibits for Masons to peruse at their leisure. Explore the history of Scottish Rite costumes, elections, portraits, and more by studying their online exhibitions and collections today.
Catch a sneak peek of what you can find in the video below.
3. Get Familiar with Masonic Artifacts at the Livingston Masonic Library
A photograph (in a gold-painted frame) of a United States Vietnam War soldier in the middle of a pile of Masonic Gift Packages.
Lodges and Grand Lodges from all over the world hold Masonic antiques to be admired; the Livingston Masonic Library of the Grand Lodge of New York just happens to share its prized relics online for Freemasons everywhere to examine. If you’re interested in digging deeper into a specific area of Freemasonry, use their search function to find related items from their collection. If you’re not sure where to start, use their “random images” feature to view an assortment of items from their collection and see what piques your interest.
4. Stop by the Home of Our Southern Jurisdiction Brothers
Just as the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction hosts its own Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, so do our Scottish Rite neighbors and Brothers down south. Take a tour of their historic headquarters and view their European and Egyptian-inspired architecture or view their online collections to find documents and items belonging to Brothers of our fraternity’s past.
5. Say “Bonjour” to French Freemasonry by Viewing the Online Collections of Musée de la Franc-maçonnerie
The Sword of Brother Lafayette
Established in 1889, the musée de la franc-maçonnerie is a public exhibition of the history of Freemasonry in France. Now, you need not travel to Paris to view the iconic works of French Brothers, such as the sword of venerable Brother Lafayette. Click here to view their online collection of portraits, objects, statues, and more.
6. Get to Know Your Prague Brethren and City from Home
Engraving by H Roberts in 1738 showing seven brethren in a lodge room around a table taking wine.
Praga Masonica is the website our central European Brothers look to for Masonic inspiration, history, and connection. With no physical building to wander about, the site boasts a robust digital collection of literature and photos documenting Freemasonry’s ties to Prague. Get to know how Brothers from across the pond (including infamous Brother Wolfgang Mozart) live our core values of relief, truth, and brotherly love by visiting the site. They even offer a virtual “walking tour” of the city, detailing where you can find Masonic institutions and history throughout Prague for those experiencing wanderlust.
Freemasonry is one of the oldest fraternities in the world and the plethora of Masonic establishments worldwide is a testament to this fact. Now the only question is, which exhibit will you “visit” first?