To celebrate the tercentenary of the 1723 Constitutions of Freemasonry, a year-long free exhibition has now opened at the Museum of Freemasonry, Great Queen Street, London, which will be accompanied by national and international events.
Under the banner of ‘1723 – Inventing the Future’, the exhibition features digital displays and items from the collections that have never previously been on public display.
Among them are a personal copy of the Constitutions belonging to John, the second Duke of Montagu, the first noble Grand Master; the box that contained the Duke of Richmond’s miniature working tools; a maul purportedly belonging to Sir Christopher Wren; and a host of rare early and mid-18th-century items relating to Freemasonry and the Enlightenment.
Richard Berman, PhD, FRHistS, said: “The 1723 Constitutions was based on Enlightenment foundations, values that lie at the core of modern Freemasonry in England and internationally.
The Constitutions set a pattern for Freemasonry throughout the world. Understanding the context helps to explain the origins of modern Freemasonry and sheds light on the relationship between Freemasonry and society today.”
In addition to the exhibition, a dedicated website at 1723constitutions.com provides a comprehensive picture of the context, content and consequences of this remarkable book.
A separate article highlighting the Northamptonshire connection with John, the second Duke of Montagu will be published on this website shortly.