One year out from the Salt Lake Temple’s public reopening, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invited media to preview its newly renovated Temple Square Visitors’ Center and announced reservation dates for the temple open house.
The refreshed Visitors’ Center will open to the public May 18, 2026, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Salt Lake Temple open house celebration will run April 5–October 1, 2027, with reservations for that event available beginning September 1, 2026.
President Emily Belle Freeman of the Young Women General Presidency called the new center “not that” familiar visitors’ center experience, and Church leaders this week described the unveiling as a milestone. “Here, guests can discover how temple teachings connect to everyday life and uncover the greater context of Latter-day Saint beliefs and commitment to family and Christ,” said Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The nearly 40,000-square-foot center sits in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple and centers its story on Brigham Young’s 1847 declaration: “Here we will build a temple to our God.” Guests will find immersive, approachable experiences including a video wall that opens into a replica temple lobby and full-scale replica rooms—baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms (note: these are not replicas of rooms in the Salt Lake Temple). The center also features a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple, a display of 11 built-to-scale miniature temples with a nearby temple globe, and presentations designed for everyone, whether or not they are members of the Church.
Art and sculpture play a central role. A replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved “Christus” greets visitors in the west wing, and a new marble work by Swiss sculptor Christian Bolt—titled “Come Unto Me”—anchors the lower level, depicting the Savior extending an invitation of peace and compassion. “They didn’t want to have another standing Christ, but a sitting one…towards humankind,” Bolt said. Outside, bronze statues in a landscaped garden include new depictions of Jesus carrying the cross and Christ in Gethsemane flanking the east and west wings.
Practical details: admission to the Visitors’ Center is free. While no general ticket is required, a reservation time is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour; reservations may be made via the Temple Square app or online. Free parking is available at the Conference Center with validation; City Creek parking offers the first two hours free. The Temple Square TRAX station provides direct access to the site.
“This is one of the most exciting points in this period in the history of the Church,” said Elder Matthew S. Holland of the General Authority Seventy. Uchtdorf added his gratitude for the effort behind the project: “We’re very proud that it’s on time, on budget, and that it looks good. We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration online and in person. Thank you to everyone who has accomplished this process.”