I was visiting a Lodge recently that is contemplating selling its building. One of the Lodge member’s biggest concerns is that their historical artifacts don’t end up in a junk store somewhere. They seemed quite relieved when I mentioned our Grand Lodge Museum, and let them know that the museum would be pleased to preserve their important objects.
How important is it to you that we have such a resource?
Have you visited our, or another Masonic Museum?
Do you think that enough resources are being used to support these endeavors, or do you feel that more should be devoted to them?
For items of true historic value, that are important to the whole Fraternity, but are now still housed by Lodges, do we as a Fraternity do enough to protect them? If not, how could we improve on that?
I have over the years been involved with 4 lodges merging with other lodges. Every time I contacted our Masonic museum the Brother were more than helpful with the artifact. I learned a lot about the time and energy these Brothers put into their work of getting things inventoried and place in the proper place. These Brothers are all volunteers and truly like helping for the protection of our artifacts. If you haven't visited out museum it's well worth your time.
I’m in a similar situation out here in Oregon. Our lodge building will be 100 years old next year. The forming of our original lodge (in the old building) predated Oregon statehood. We were originally the 7th lodge chartered in the Oregon territories. Our building has fallen into such disrepair, exacerbated by the extreme weather here on the coast. Inside, a treasure trove of history and artifacts lie mostly uncared for. The history of our lodge is not only important to Masons, but to the history of the area.
With the help of a local archivist, I have begun the process of cataloguing and preserving our history. Once that slow process is closer to being done, the Mason who runs our own Grand Lodge Museum has offered to come help me curate the collection. If I can create a museum like collection, and open our building up to the public for tours, perhaps I can rally the community to help us save this history from disappearing.
They're right to be concerned. I've seen lodges consolidate and lots of artifacts got shuffled off to - where exactly? Sometimes it's temporary (a brother's attic) - 5 years on will anyone know? 20 years on?
AASR valleys and lodges sometimes put valiant efforts into this kind of preservation, but (just my $0.02) they're the wrong place to do it. They're the obvious close-by candidates because of existing relationships, but what you get here is 10-12 small, not professionally organized museum rooms.
Visiting these is not the greatest experience (they may not have a manifest to even know if they have this-or-that) and you can't get much of a comprehensive experience without traveling an entire state. If you're on the far end of the state, you won't know who has what without asking around a lot and you might not get any answers.
It's another case of where the decentralized model of Masonry I think serves us poorly. Historic preservation of artifacts is a thing better handled centrally (by an AASR jurisdiction, or a GL) because scope of vision, resources to persist over decades, and reach is further.
If A consolidates into B, and (10 years later) B into C, where are A's artifacts? The chances are good the answer will end up being "nobody knows"
Museums are serious business. Why not have some professionals in the craft who get paid to be excellent at this function?
We've been contacted several times by relatives of masons who have passed who left behind a number of masonic keepsakes. We always endeavor to make sure those items go to their rightful places, either their home lodge, or to GL. Some things we've kept for our own use within the lodge. We've even had boxes of items left literally on our doorstep.
But, our brothers need to do a far better job educating their family on what to do when they do pass. It's an uncomfortable subject for a lot of people, but it has to be done. That is the only way we can be assured our treasured mementos don't end up in a pawn shop or a landfill.
This is a large problem over here in the Far East mainly due to consolidations. Deaths account for much personal equipment (swords, headwear, badges, etc) but we had a Lodge incinerated a couple years ago and they need start-up furniture. We have some of that here to help. The Colville consolidation was very special as it was a very old Lodge dating back to the US Army Fort days plus the written records mostly survived. The written materials are very legible and neat, easy to use for history research, etc.
I had always heard that the GL Museum was overloaded with stuff and furthermore we need to do a solid job of prioritizing on whatever we transfer. Also, families usually have no idea what to do with the personal Masonic mementos or whether a Masonic funeral is in order. Some of our old Brothers simply did not communicate with their families.
Washington Masonic Charities (Kim) is quickly, effectively communicating with family members but she is only one "Heartbeat". We must do a much better job educating our members and families.
I have over the years been involved with 4 lodges merging with other lodges. Every time I contacted our Masonic museum the Brother were more than helpful with the artifact. I learned a lot about the time and energy these Brothers put into their work of getting things inventoried and place in the proper place. These Brothers are all volunteers and truly like helping for the protection of our artifacts. If you haven't visited out museum it's well worth your time.
I’m in a similar situation out here in Oregon. Our lodge building will be 100 years old next year. The forming of our original lodge (in the old building) predated Oregon statehood. We were originally the 7th lodge chartered in the Oregon territories. Our building has fallen into such disrepair, exacerbated by the extreme weather here on the coast. Inside, a treasure trove of history and artifacts lie mostly uncared for. The history of our lodge is not only important to Masons, but to the history of the area.
With the help of a local archivist, I have begun the process of cataloguing and preserving our history. Once that slow process is closer to being done, the Mason who runs our own Grand Lodge Museum has offered to come help me curate the collection. If I can create a museum like collection, and open our building up to the public for tours, perhaps I can rally the community to help us save this history from disappearing.
They're right to be concerned. I've seen lodges consolidate and lots of artifacts got shuffled off to - where exactly? Sometimes it's temporary (a brother's attic) - 5 years on will anyone know? 20 years on?
AASR valleys and lodges sometimes put valiant efforts into this kind of preservation, but (just my $0.02) they're the wrong place to do it. They're the obvious close-by candidates because of existing relationships, but what you get here is 10-12 small, not professionally organized museum rooms.
Visiting these is not the greatest experience (they may not have a manifest to even know if they have this-or-that) and you can't get much of a comprehensive experience without traveling an entire state. If you're on the far end of the state, you won't know who has what without asking around a lot and you might not get any answers.
It's another case of where the decentralized model of Masonry I think serves us poorly. Historic preservation of artifacts is a thing better handled centrally (by an AASR jurisdiction, or a GL) because scope of vision, resources to persist over decades, and reach is further.
If A consolidates into B, and (10 years later) B into C, where are A's artifacts? The chances are good the answer will end up being "nobody knows"
Museums are serious business. Why not have some professionals in the craft who get paid to be excellent at this function?
We've been contacted several times by relatives of masons who have passed who left behind a number of masonic keepsakes. We always endeavor to make sure those items go to their rightful places, either their home lodge, or to GL. Some things we've kept for our own use within the lodge. We've even had boxes of items left literally on our doorstep.
But, our brothers need to do a far better job educating their family on what to do when they do pass. It's an uncomfortable subject for a lot of people, but it has to be done. That is the only way we can be assured our treasured mementos don't end up in a pawn shop or a landfill.
This is a large problem over here in the Far East mainly due to consolidations. Deaths account for much personal equipment (swords, headwear, badges, etc) but we had a Lodge incinerated a couple years ago and they need start-up furniture. We have some of that here to help. The Colville consolidation was very special as it was a very old Lodge dating back to the US Army Fort days plus the written records mostly survived. The written materials are very legible and neat, easy to use for history research, etc.
I had always heard that the GL Museum was overloaded with stuff and furthermore we need to do a solid job of prioritizing on whatever we transfer. Also, families usually have no idea what to do with the personal Masonic mementos or whether a Masonic funeral is in order. Some of our old Brothers simply did not communicate with their families.
Washington Masonic Charities (Kim) is quickly, effectively communicating with family members but she is only one "Heartbeat". We must do a much better job educating our members and families.