Browse Exhibits (6 total)
Illuminating Brotherhood: Magic Lanterns and Slides from the Collection
The magic lantern, a precursor to the slide projector, was a popular education and entertainment device in the late 1800s and early 1900s. "Illuminating Brotherhood" outlines the history of the lantern and explores how Masonic and fraternal lodges used them in their instruction and ritual.
"Every Variety of Paintings for Lodges": Decorated Furniture, Paintings and Ritual Objects from the Collection
This online exhibition explores the ways Masons have expressed their involvement with the fraternity, drawing on paintings and decorative arts in the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s collection. The material in the exhibition is drawn from "'Every Variety of Paintings for Lodges': Decorated Furniture, Paintings and Ritual Objects from the Collection," which was on view at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library in 2015.
Who Would You Vote For? Campaigning for President
How will you decide who to vote for in the next presidential election? Do the huge number of political ads that are shown on TV help you make your decision? Will you take advantage of the chance to hear a candidate speak in person? Back in the late 1800s, the candidates themselves did little, if any, of the kind of campaigning that candidates do today. But, their supporters used these textiles and buttons to make their views known.
The themes, topics and iconography on these campaign objects show us that many of the issues we grapple with today are not new, nor is passionate political discourse. Learning about the presidential campaigns of the past can provide insight about our choices today. As you look at these objects, think about who you would have voted for and why. How might American history be different if the election results were reversed?