A Visit To The Freemasons' Lodge

The New York Freemasons' Lodge on west 23rd street regularly gives tours to those who are interested in the secret society, including those who are not technically masons. I have always been interested in secret societies in America. Many presidents and other famous people have been members.

As you go into the lodge you can see a picture illustrating the goal of freemasonry, which is to sand off a rough stone (an average person) into a smooth ashlar (an ideal citizen of society). The metaphor that is used is rocks in a building because freemasons started as a construction union.

Here are some ceremonial swords used by the Shriners. They have many ceremonies in Freemasonry.

Here are a couple of the rooms inside the building in which the various masonic groups meet. On top is the Jacobean (Medieval) room and on the bottom is the French room. There are also various American rooms and ones themed toward different countries and time periods as well. Many different cultural, ethnic, and themed masonic groups exist which may choose a room due to its theme.

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Here is the library, which is supposed to have an American Indian theme. It also has a statue of George Washington in it. However the ceiling is based upon the Incans and the Mayans because the person who painted it was from South America.

Here are some pictures of organs which are used in the lodge. I play piano and try to play organ from time to time so I'm interested in the organ part.

This was a very interesting visit.