Open Houses Melbourne 2016 (OHM) this weekend 10 am - 4 pm
Post date: Jul 28, 2016 5:11:10 AM
This weekend is Open Houses !This year, the Collingwood Masonic Centre (which contains Abbosford Hall) will be open141 Gipps Street Abbotsford (corner of Henry Street).
Sat 30 July 2016, 10 am - 4 pm
Sun 31 July 2016, 10 am - 4 pm
Ever heard of that secret and mysterious group, The Freemasons? This is a chance to go inside one of their mysterious buildings which are scattered over Melbourne and indeed the globe. Completed in 1929, the Collingwood Masonic Centre is a two-storey, purpose-built Masonic hall with an operational Masonic lodge room upstairs. It is still proudly owned and used by the Freemasons, who are available during Open House Melbourne to talk to about their organisation and how the building is used. Hear how the Arts and Crafts style building is being restored and used in the 21st century as a local and enduring community asset. Hear its history and explanations of the building's furniture, fittings and design, and why the Freemasons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries moved from traditional meeting places of pubs into their own purpose-built structures. This building retains most of its original furniture and many original fittings, and is a time capsule to a bygone design and social era. Open House Melbourne provides a rare chance to tour the lodge room, and understand some of its rich symbolism and the history of this fraternity which was founded in 1717 and still operates today.
Need to Know
Open: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
What's Open: All except kitchen, store and office.
Tour Type: Guided & General Admission
Tour Details: Self Guided on ground floor. Tours will run on Level 1 every 20 minutes with 20 people per tour. Guided tour of lodge room, regalia and historic displays down stairs, opportunities to speak to Freemasons.
Special Programming: Guided tour of lodge room, displays down stairs, opportunities to speak to Freemasons.
Building Type: Cultural
Facilities: Pram access, Limited mobility access, Toilets, Food and beverage available
Year Built: 1929
Tram Stops: Stop 18: Hoddle St/Victoria Pde on routes 12 and 109.
Train Station: Collingwood
We will be one of hundreds of buildings and spaces the public generally do not get to see - come along and come up the stairs to the Lodge Room which is generally not open to the public.
http://www.openhousemelbourne.org/buildings/collingwood-masonic-centre