Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library: Looking to the Future

By T.S. Akers

 

A re-imagined Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library.

(Courtesy of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library)

In recent years, the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library established itself as a 501(c)(3), housed within the Grand Lodge building, and governed by its own board of directors. This is an exciting and historical moment for the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library as a ten-year strategic plan has been adopted for a completely re-imagined Museum & Library. 

Vision and Mission

It is the vision of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum and Library to preserve and protect the Masonic historical memorabilia of the State of Oklahoma, and to preserve the literature of Masonic authors and all books pertinent to Masonry in Oklahoma and all foreign and domestic jurisdictions that have been or will be donated or procured.

The mission of the Oklahoma Grand Lodge Museum and Library is to preserve the heritage of Oklahoma Freemasonry through the collection and interpretation of archival and material culture to present the founding, development, and influence of the Craft.  The museum documents the history of the Territorial Grand Lodges, important events, and influential brethren.  The library collects and preserves the heritage of Oklahoma Freemasonry through documents and archives which also serve as a resource to foster educational opportunities for the community.

Objectives

The main objectives of the strategic plan are to inventory existing collections, catalog the library holdings, complete a re-installation of the upper and lower gallery spaces of the Grand Lodge building, and transform the lower lodge rooms into multi-use library reading rooms/lodge rooms. These objectives will be achieved through a series of four phases.

 

An architectural rendering of what a re-installed upper gallery could look like.

(Courtesy of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library)

Funding 

The total estimated cost for the complete re-installation is $300,000. The funds necessary for the re-installation will be raised through a capital campaign and to be identified grant opportunities. The capital campaign, officially known as the Stewardship Campaign, has both individual and institutional giving levels. The donor levels are listed below.

Individual Giving

Friend: $50 – Receives a lapel pin

Steward: $250 – Receives the Stewardship Jewel                                               

Patron: $1,000 – Receives the pin, jewel, and a recognition plaque

Lodge/Institutional Giving

Friend: $100 – Receives a recognition certificate

Steward: $500 – Receives a recognition plaque

Patron: $2,000 – Receives an altar jewel set and a recognition plaque

Contributions to the campaign can be made by mail to PO Box 686, Guthrie, OK 73044 or online under the Capital Campaign tab at https://okglml.org/.

The Stewardship Jewel.

Current Progress

The board of directors of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library are actively working towards achieving the objectives of the strategic plan. Artifacts are being inventoried and library holdings cataloged. The museum remains an active collecting institution and important items are continuously being identified and obtained. The library continues to expand, adding new volumes monthly. Of particular importance is a grant recently secured from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries for the purpose of having a preservation assessment conducted. A preservation assessment is a study of all the factors affecting the life of an institution's collections. The product is a written report detailing the condition of the collection and making recommendations for improvements. Such an assessment is typically a requirement for many grant opportunities.

 

 Recently acquired presentation guidon from the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oklahoma.

(Courtesy of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Museum & Library)