Frequently Asked Questions

When can I visit the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center?
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Where is the museum located?
We are located on West Ninth and Broadway Streets in downtown Little Rock.

How much will it cost to go to the museum?
Admission to the museum is free.

What is your mission statement?
The mission of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is to collect, preserve, interpret and celebrate Arkansas's African American History, culture and community from 1870 to the present, and to inform and educate the public about black achievement – especially in business, politics and the arts.

Are you a fraternal organization?
No, we are not a fraternal organization. The reason we are called the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is because of the historic site of our building and the wonderful history that happened here.

Are you related to the Mason?
No, we are not related to the Masons.

What is a "Templar?"
The word templar means a member of a fraternal organization.

Do you have something to do with the Knights Templar in The Da Vinci Code?
No. A Knights Templar is a member of an order of Freemasonry conferring three orders in the York rite.

What does "Cultural Center" mean?
It means that we offer more than just static art pieces; we offer interactive exhibits that pay tribute to music, the performing arts and we host educational events and programs.

What kind of Cultural Center is it?
It is an Arkansas's African American history.

Is it a museum?
Yes. It is a museum of Arkansas's African American history.

Are you the Mosaic Church located on Asher Avenue in Little Rock?
No, we are located on the corner of West Ninth Street and Broadway.

Are you the same as the Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society?
No, but they are our friends group and we are working together to preserve the history of the Mosaic Templars.

Do you just tell the history of the Mosaic Templars?
Do you just tell West Ninth Street history?
Do you just tell Little Rock black history?
No. We tell all Arkansas African American History.

Is there office space in the new building for my organization?
No. The only office spaces are for those people who work for the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.

Is the auditorium available for rental?
Yes. For more information about renting the auditorium or for a copy of the rental policy, please contact 501.683.3593 or email us at info@mosaictemplarscenter.com.

Did you lose all your artifacts in the fire?
No. The only artifact that was lost in the fire was the building.

What/Who caused the fire?
Two homeless men got into the building and started a fire trying to stay warm.

Why did you not change your name after the fire?
We still wanted to honor the spirit of the Mosaic Templars.

What happened to all the old bricks?
We kept 2000 of the bricks for exhibits and our fundraising project. The Department of Correction kept the rest of the bricks.

What do you collect?
We collect anything that is related to Arkansas African American History. For more information about our scope of collecting, please go to the Collections Page.

How big is the collection?
The collection has approximately 20,000 items including art, photographs, books, papers, and textiles.

What are the exhibits about?
The exhibits will focus on Arkansas African American History. For more information about our exhibits, please go to the Exhibits Page.

Can I get my story/my relative's story in the exhibit?
We are always collecting people's stories for use in future exhibits. To schedule an oral history interview, please contact us at 501.683.3593 or email us at info@mosaictemplarscenter.com.

Who designed the exhibits?
Quatrefoil Associates in Laurel, Maryland designed, fabricated, and installed the Opening Exhibits. For more information on Quatrefoil Associates, go to www.quatrefoil.com.

Can my art collection be displayed?
We are always looking for the work of talented African American artists to display in our art gallery space. Please contact Heather Register Zbinden at 501.683.3615 or via email at heather@arkansasheritage.org to discuss the possibilities.

What programs do you offer?
Our programs are educational and fun for the whole family. For more information, go to the Education Page.

Can someone come to my school?
Yes. We do have outreach programs for schools who are interested.

What is "outreach?"
Outreach is when the museum staff goes out into the public to educate them on the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and Arkansas African American History.

How far do you travel?
Anywhere in the State of Arkansas and there is no charge.

Who writes your education material?
Our qualified team of museum educators with help from certified classroom teachers develop and write our educational materials.

How can I donate money to MTCC?
You can write us a check or you can participate in our Brick Project.

Do you have the records of the Mosaic Templars?
We have constitutional documents, rituals and the 1924 history but we do not have records of individual lodges and/or members.

Do you have Masonic records?
No. If you are interested in Masonic records you will need to call the Prince Hall Masons located in Pine Bluff, AR.

When was the original building built?
The original building was constructed in 1913 with the Annex following in 1918. The State Temple Building was erected in 1921.