I am a lone traveler and have been my entire life. When the opportunity arose to return to London after a hiatus of two decades (way too long), I jumped on it. The main reason for going was to attend the world premiere of The Hunger Games stage adaptation – I’m a longtime fan of both the books and the films. But as the show wasn’t until later in the week, toward the tail end of my eight-day trip, I started where I always do in a new city: with its museums and galleries.
After all, when you average nearly 20,000 steps a day (my tracker confirmed it – 14,500 on the “lazy” days), you earn the right to call it a cultural workout.
Curiosity as Compass
I’ve always been drawn to what hides beneath the surface – the carved emblem above a doorway, the ritual behind a ceremony, the invisible geometry that tries to bring order to chaos. Over the years, this fascination has led me through monasteries, temples, and even psychedelic art studios.
So when a client casually mentioned he was a Freemason, something clicked. Like a symbol revealing itself, I knew exactly where I needed to go next: The Museum of Freemasonry in central London.
What better city than London – the birthplace of modern Freemasonry – to explore a tradition that has fascinated (and unsettled) the world for three centuries?
Stepping Through the Bronze Doors
The museum occupies part of the Freemasons’ Hall – a soaring Art Deco structure completed in 1933 to honor Masons who died in the First World War. The bronze doors swing open to reveal a marble lobby so pristine it looks like a film set – Eyes Wide Shut meets Westminster. But the air here isn’t one of menace; it’s reverence.
Freemasonry’s essence, I quickly learned, isn’t in conspiracy or control but in symbolism – in using the tools of ancient builders as metaphors for moral and spiritual growth.
Inside glass cases, the Square and Compasses gleamed in silver and brass – the square representing integrity, the compasses restraint. Together they form a kind of moral geometry, the balance between inner truth and outer conduct.
Nearby, the All-Seeing Eye – that familiar triangle and eye seen on dollar bills – reminded initiates to act as though conscience is always watching. It’s a poetic idea, really: behave as if you’re being observed by your better self.
The Builders of the Inner Temple
Freemasonry, I discovered, began in early 18th-century London when working stonemason guilds transformed into philosophical societies. The cathedrals they once built from stone became metaphors for the human soul. Each member’s goal: to build his own “inner temple” – a life of virtue, patience, and skill.
In one display, two stones rested side by side – one rough, one perfectly polished. The caption read: The journey from imperfection to refinement. I lingered there for a while. Isn’t that what our 60s are about? Chiseling the rough edges, polishing the spirit, and finding new meaning in old symbols?
Symbols That Speak Across Centuries
Everywhere I looked, meaning unfolded. The Seal of Solomon – two interlocking triangles, fire and water, heaven and earth – symbolized unity and mastery. The black-and-white mosaic floors, much like the dualities of life itself, reminded visitors that light and dark always coexist.
What struck me most wasn’t the secrecy but the humanity of it all. Behind the myth of secret handshakes and shadowy cabals, Freemasonry has long stood for education, charity, and self-improvement. Its members have included George Washington, Mozart, Winston Churchill, and Mark Twain – men drawn to its blend of fellowship and philosophy.
Beyond the Myths
Freemasonry has endured centuries of misunderstanding. It’s been banned by dictators, romanticized by writers, and scapegoated by conspiracy theorists. Yet walking through the museum, I saw something simpler: an ancient tradition that still whispers the same message – build with integrity, live with purpose, seek the light.
And for a woman traveling solo in her 60s, that message resonated deeply. Our journeys – literal and spiritual – are built one stone at a time.
As I stepped back out onto the London pavement, taxis honking and the city alive around me, I looked once more at the hall’s elegant façade. Geometry and grace, secrecy and openness – all woven into the same fabric.
Perhaps mystery isn’t something to be solved but savored.
If You Go
Museum of Freemasonry
60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ, United Kingdom
+44 20 7395 9257
Open: Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Admission: Free
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you like visiting galleries and museums when you travel? What do you like to pay attention to – the expositions, the philosophy or something else? Do you reflect on the lessons you learn from each place you visit?
