Artefacts of Excavation

Harvey Spencer Lewis established the Antiquus Mysticus Ordo Rosae Cruci (AMORC) in 1915. The organization was highly mobile and after being founded in New York moved to Pittsburgh, to San Francisco, to Tampa and finally in 1927 headquarters were established in San Jose. After the Order's headquarters settled in its present San Jose location, Lewis conceived of a public collection, "The Rosicrucian Egyptian Oriental Museum" in 1928. He commissioned glass cases that were installed in the lounge area of the second floor of the Administration building. By 1932 the collection had outgrown its second-floor home, so an additional building was constructed – the Rosicrucian Egyptian Oriental Museum. In November 1966 the new Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum opened.