Freemasons are throwing open the doors of their famous headquarters in London’s Covent Garden this Saturday and Sunday as part of Open House London.
This year visitors will be able to enjoy, for free, a special extended version of the new digital tour of Freemasons’ Hall that has been created especially for the Open House London event. They will also find many new attractions to enjoy with their families and friends.
Visitors can follow a children’s trail and identify beautiful architecture throughout the building including pictures within stunning stained-glass windows. Children also have the opportunity to take home Bright Brick figures of a dragon, throne and unicorn, as well as an ornate make-at-home paper model of Freemasons’ Hall itself.
During the weekend, visitors will also find Freemasons in regalia in the magnificent Grand Temple to answer any questions the public have about Freemasonry and also watch an interesting short film about Freemasonry. Freemasonry for Women, one of the female-only Grand Lodges, will also be there to talk to visitors about female Freemasonry in the stunning Vestibules.
In 2019 Freemasons’ Hall welcomed nearly 9,000 visitors into the venue, making it the second most popular attraction that weekend after the Foreign Office. Last year, we prepared a Covid safe event with 12,000 views of the digital tour and the building received 1,300 people.
Dr David Staples, UGLE’s Chief Executive, said: “We are glad to participate in this remarkable event for the third consecutive year. Freemasons’ Hall was built as a peace memorial to the 3,000 Freemasons who died in WW1, and we are excited to welcome people to it. We want everyone to know more about our history whilst also giving the visitors an opportunity to take in some of the stunning architecture of our headquarters here in London”.
The Museum of Freemasonry will be open, displaying one of the world’s largest collections associated with Freemasonry, including Winston Churchill’s apron and the large ‘flatpack’ throne made for the future King George IV, who was Grand Master from 1790-1813.
For those who prefer stay at home, Freemasons’ Hall will have talks online for people to watch and will be able to view a new tour film and behind the scenes footage of our Lodge Rooms.
Freemasons’ Hall is renowned as one of the finest Art Deco buildings in London and was built as a tribute to those Freemasons who lost their lives in World War One.
Days: 04 and 05 September
Hours: 10:00am – 5:30pm (last entry 5:00pm)
Local: Freemasons Hall
Address: 60 Great Queen St, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5AZ
Website: https://www.ugle.org.uk/news-events/open-house-london
