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If you happen to find yourself in Paris next month, maybe you’ll be there during Heritage Days, when the Grand Orient will open the Museum of Freemasonry for free tours.
Heritage Days, September 19-20, is celebrated by historic sites, museums, and other institutions providing free access to their sites. Sortir à Paris, the online tourism guide, says:
It’s time to dive into the heart of an organization that stirs passions, rich in a culture dating back more than 300 years: Freemasonry.
For the Heritage Days 2026, the Museum of Freemasonry opens its doors to the curious, on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20. During these two days, Parisians will be able to visit the permanent exhibition on the history of Freemasonry free of charge, learn about the extent to which Freemasonry has influenced the evolution of society, and even discover the iconographic imprints that identify it.
Saturday, September 19
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 20
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Freemasonry Museum
16 rue Cadet
75009 Paris 9
Of itself, the museum says:
Created in 1889, the “musée de la franc-maçonnerie” now has a public exhibition tracing the history of lodges in France and their contribution to the country’s history over the past three centuries. This contribution extends to multiple fields: philosophy and politics, of course—from support for the Enlightenment in the eighteenth century to the Republican structures in the 1880s—as well as religion, literature, and the arts. The exhibition also examines the origins and range of symbols and rites, and explains the Freemason initiation process.
Paralleling the educational function, the museum aims at showcasing iconic works: a magnificent full length portrait of the Comte de Clermont, Grand Master from 1743 to 1771; aprons that belonged to Voltaire and Jérôme Bonaparte, king of the short-lived realm of Westphalia; and the sword of Venerable Lafayette.
Visitors can also admire the most beautiful collection of eighteenth century French Masonic earthenware and magnificent regalia (aprons, sashes, and collars), painted or embroidered with the emblems and symbols of the various degrees of the order. Scholars can peruse a few remarkable documents, such as the first edition of Anderson’s Constitutions (1723) and various extremely rare manuscripts.
The museum’s goal is to foster a better understanding of all aspects of Masonic life. The lodges are polymorphous in nature; the work behind closed doors includes discussions on new ideas as well as elements of secular traditions.
