The Freemasons from Social Harmony Lodge in Wareham will open their doors to the public on Saturday, Oct. 18 for an informational open house.

If you’ve ever wondered who the Freemasons are, if they are the descendants of the Knights Templars, or what the inside of their buildings look like, now is your chance.

More than 230 lodges across the Commonwealth will be hosting open houses to help the public gain a better understanding of Freemasonry and to demonstrate the positive impact it has on its members, their families, and their communities.

The Social Harmony Lodge is located at 259 Cranberry Highway and the open house will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members will provide tours of their building, talk about Freemasonry’s history, discuss its rituals, signs, and symbols, and explain what they do.

“The Open House is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about Freemasonry to meet and talk with Masons in their community,” said Harvey J. Waugh, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, and the presiding officer of over 32,000 members. “Although many have heard of us, very few are aware that for over 281 years we have been part of an unbroken tradition of great men who have changed our world in a number of ways. Today, there are countless others that have made their families, workplaces, and communities better because they are Masons."

Freemasonry was formally organized in London, England in 1717. In 1733 it was formally organized in Massachusetts, making it the oldest Masonic group in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world.