One of the biggest misconceptions of the Tucson Scottish Rite Cathedral is that many believe it is a vacant building withering away, not so! This beautiful building is utilized almost every day by a large numbers of fraternal groups with strong social and financial commitments to Tucson's community through programs such as the Child Language Learning Centers.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Tucson Scottish Rite Cathedral still continues to see more than its share of traditional Masonic ceremonies. Begun before Arizona Statehood, and completed in 1915, this now four-level, 58,000 square-foot building was designed by Henry Trost in a variety of Neoclassical styles, the building facade of brick and terra cotta is Roman Revival with Greek Revival Ionic capitals.
One of this historic building’s most admired attributes is the “Red Room,” a ballroom size theater with elegant red carpeting, a cathedral ceiling and an advanced glass-enclosed sound booth overlooking an ornamentally detailed stage where Arizona’s Freemasons perform their ceremonies. With it's 65+ stage back-drops created near a century ago, the estimated theatrical value of this little-known venue is well into the millions of dollars! It is also the home of Tucson's oldest pipe organ!
The Cathedral has been popular in film productions such as Geronimo (1993), as well as commercials for the Arizona Lottery and several local businessmen.
Here we take you on a pictorial tour of this magnificent "old gal" and some of her key features as well as a few behind-the-scenes view of the enormous amount of work that goes into a Scottish Rite degree conferring performance.
Please select from the links below to tour the Cathedral: