A new museum celebrating the Isle of Man’s Masonic history has opened after more than five years of development.
The JA Brown Masonic Museum was unveiled at a gala dinner in Ramsey Masonic Hall, with the Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Lorimer, performing the opening alongside Lady Lorimer.
Wednesday eventing’s event, hosted by the heads of the island’s men’s and women’s Freemasons, Michael Shimmin and Caroline Craige, attracted a sell‑out audience.
Curator and founder Derek Peters said the museum represents the culmination of a major effort to preserve the island’s Masonic heritage.
Masonic Museum
It also pays tribute to a similar museum established a century ago, which eventually fell into disrepair, leaving its collection dispersed across lodges and private homes.
“It has taken a great deal of effort by myself and a team of local masons,” Mr Peters said. “The greatest impetus came from the late Ed Mullan, who was keen to see the island’s masonic memorabilia preserved and displayed.”
The new museum, housed within the Ramsey Masonic Centre, features purpose‑built display cabinets showcasing artefacts gathered from across the island.
It will open to the public this summer, offering visitors a rare insight into the traditions, regalia and history of Manx Freemasonry.
Guests at the launch enjoyed entertainment from musician Toby Higgins, and the evening’s menu echoed one served in 1926 when the original museum first opened—adding a historical flourish to the celebration.
