Update on the Cultural Masonic Centre

The Order of Freemasons under the Grand East of the Netherlands has updated its plans for the Cultural Masonic Centre (CMC) in The Hague.
As discussed earlier on this blog, the Order originally intended to move the CMC's collection to a location elsewhere in the Netherlands, which sparked a controversy. The plan was opposed by many scholars and heritage professionals, including the OVN Foundation, which appealed to the lodges and the heritage sector to allow the CMC's collection to remain within its historical and academic context in The Hague.
The Order has now announced that it will be reconsidering two options:
- remaining in The Hague with both the administrative chair and the CMC, because the historical ties to the city are a strong argument,
- relocating to the lodge building in Amsterdam, because this is already being renovated in order to attract a third party as co-resident.
The OVN hopes that the loges will now make good use of the wide support and interest expressed by the local heritage sector in cooperating on a suitable proposal for the old, or a new location in The Hague. The final decision will be made by the Order in june 2012, but a progress report is expected for the yearly meeting of lodges in june 2011.