Association of Masonic Museums, Libraries and Archives
The Museum of Freemasonry was established in 1837 and holds a collection of books, objects and archives relating to freemasonry and other friendly and fraternal societies. Initially a resource for members of United Grand Lodge of England, it opened to the public in the mid-1980s and registered as a charitable trust in 1997. The permanent collection of Museum that existed before the change in 1997 is a loan from the United Grand Lodge of England. From 1997, new acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, normally belong to the Library and Museum Charitable Trust.
The library includes books, periodicals, manuscripts, sheet music, and audio-visual material, relating to freemasonry and other fraternal societies, from around the world, in English and other languages. The museum collectionincludes jewels and medals, regalia, ceramics, glass, silver, domestic items, lodge items e.g. furniture and a collection of paintings and framed prints all of which are related to freemasonry and other fraternal societies, from the United Kingdom and around the world. The archive collection is comprised documents, prints, films, and private papers related to Freemasonry and esoteric bodies as well as being the repository for the corporate records of the United Grand Lodge of England and Supreme Grand Chapter of England and its predecessor bodies. Records of various Masonic Charities are also held on deposit. In addition to the permanent collection, the Museum also retains a small number of loans from individual lodges, chapters, and other masonic organisations.
Library 50-60,000 items
Museum 25-30,000 objects
Archives 3.25 linear kilometres
