The Lantern Today

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Knights of Malta Magic Lantern Slide-Noah's Ark, ca. 1900

Although decades have passed since the use of magic lanterns, slides and even slide projectors, a fascination with the technology, wonderment, and artistry of the lanterns and slides exists today. There are several magic lantern publications, thousands of lanterns and slides in museum collections across the world, and a society dedicated to the collection, preservation, and study of magic lanterns. Some lodges still use lantern slide imagery in their presentations and lectures. Lantern slides are an example of the visual storytelling inherent in Freemasonry and fraternal societies. They are just one of the many intriguing components of Masonic material culture. The lanterns and slides in the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library Collection present a glimpse into the education of candidates and members during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The Lantern Today