House of the Temple050

The House of the Temple is the impressive headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Southern Jurisdiction. Its architecture is an adaptation of the famous Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World." The architect was John Russell Pope, well known for his other works in DC, including the National Gallery of Art, National Archives, and the Jefferson Memorial. The House of the Temple was his first major commission in the District of Columbia, at the young age of 36.

The Temple (and its library, which even has a small section for children) is open for tours Monday through Friday, 8am-3:30pm, and the first Saturday of each month, 10am-3pm (except the weekend of a Federal Holiday).