Birthplace of the El Paso Symphony. Older than the Plaza Theater. An El Paso landmark.

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Banquet Hall
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Albert Pike Room

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The El Paso Scottish Rite Temple was designed by Hubbell and Green of Dallas, Texas and built as an "Early Revival Style" by the R.E. McKee Construction Company of El Paso. Construction began in 1921 and was completed within 9 months.

The sphinxes that guard the entrance to the temple were cast in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, by the Federal-Seaboard Terra Cotta Company and shipped to El Paso by truck. From start to finish, with the two sphinxes safely on their bases, took a period of 10 months. Of the seven Scottish Rite Bodies in Texas, El Paso was the first one to have sphinxes, and they subsequently arranged for a pair to be given by the El Paso Bodies to the Waco Consistory.

The El Paso Scottish Rite sphinxes are the largest single-cast terra cotta sculptures in the world.
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Designated in the original blue prints as the "Degree Room", for decades the El Paso Scottish Rite Theater was the unknown gem of El Paso theaters. Designed specifically for the conferral of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees, the theater has always managed to attract a wider audience.

One story has it that in the 1930's, a man tuning his car radio received a weak broadcast from an amateur orchestra and was impressed enough to stop and listen. From the announcers dedication, he heard the group was performing in at the Scottish Rite Temple's theater, so he turned his car around, headed there, and recruited those musicians to play under his direction. Thus was founded the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.

Predating the renowned El Paso Plaza Theater by seven years, The El Paso Scottish Rite Theater is among the oldest active theaters in the region and hosts a wide variety of events from the performing arts to weddings and conferences.

For booking information, please visit Bookings section of our website.
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The banquet hall located at the El Paso Scottish Rite Temple was refurbished in the late 90's. With a capacity for 380 guests and a fully equipped commercial-grade kitchen, the banquet hall is an ideal location to hold large receptions, dinners and conferences.

For information about having the banquet hall for your big event, visit the Bookings section of our website.
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The El Paso Scottish Rite Library, Archives and Museum are important to the Scottish Rite and the El Paso public because they are all well-kept repositories of a treasured Masonic heritage.

Freemasonry has been for more than two hundred years an integral part of American society, culture, and history. The purpose of the Library, Archives and Museum is to maintain a variety of collections, including current, out-of-print, and rare books, periodicals, manuscripts, official records of the The Supreme Council, art, regalia and artifacts. Many of the archived documents in our collection include rare photographs of city founders, since most of them were also Masons, as were many men of that time. We serve the interests of Masonic scholars, general readers, and touring visitors, so that the most relevant Masonic books, resources, and Masonic-related items may be used profitably and enjoyed always.

The El Paso Scottish Rite Library, Archives and Museum are devoted to the exhibition, care and study of Masonic books, prints, and antiquities that reflect the history and experience of Freemasons in American culture and around the world. The Library houses about 3,000 books. The Archives hold several manuscript collections and the official records and papers of The Scottish Rite and Masonry. Among the objects on view in the Museum are Masonic documents, jewelry, ceramics and glassware. The Museum also holds items of general interest, including historic American flags, photographs and memorabilia.

The Museum is open from 10 AM to 2 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays excluding national holidays.
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The Albert Pike Room was designed to take the form of a Master's Lodge as described by Albert Pike and serves as a museum for the only Lodge furniture known to have have been designed and built under the personal direction of Albert Pike. The furniture was built in 1883 and was used until it was retired in 1954.
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