The Shrine Club

Illustration of a red fez bellow red text on a beige background.

Shriners International, commonly known as The Shriners, were founded in 1870 by a group of Freemasons who wanted to form a fraternity based on fun and fellowship. The fez was adopted as the official headgear and symbol for The Shriners in 1872. In 1919, the fraternity decided to commit themselves to a philanthropic cause and there are now 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Today they have more than 200 temples in North America, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.