Exclusive behind-the-scenes guided tours of the Dayton Masonic Center are being offered every 30 minutes from 4 pm to 6:00 pm on Sunday, Oct. 15. Tours are limited to 20 participants.
Tickets are $20 for Preservation Dayton and Masonic Center members and $30 for non-members. A cash bar and appetizers will be available following the tours. Tickets are now on sale online via Eventbrite. Members of PDI and the Masonic Center can use their special $10 per ticket discount code.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for a guided tour of this remarkable Classic Greek Revival,” said Monica Snow, PDI president. “This irreplaceable architectural treasure has been exquisitely restored making it one of Ohio’s most outstanding structures on the National Register of Historic Places. You won’t want to miss this behind-the-scenes look at areas not often open to the public. Stay and socialize during the reception on the breathtaking auditorium stage.”
According to the Dayton Masonic Center, their groundbreaking was in 1925 and the building was completed over a 2-year, 9-month period by 450 workers at a cost of $2.5 million. Formerly known as the Dayton Masonic Temple, the building and grounds are on 8½ acres with a 250-car parking lot.
The center is located north of the Great Miami River, across the Monument Street bridge and next to the Dayton Art Institute in the Historic Grafton Hill neighborhood. The tour is sponsored by the Dayton Masonic Center, Dayton Ohio Photos, and Preservation Dayton, Inc.