A year before the Salt Lake Temple reopens, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unveiled a refreshed Temple Square Visitors’ Center and announced when public tickets for the temple open house will go on sale.
The newly renovated visitors’ center opens to the public May 18, 2026, and will be welcoming guests daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Salt Lake Temple open house celebration is set to run April 5–October 1, 2027, with reservations for that event available beginning September 1, 2026.
“This visitors’ center sits in the shadow of the Salt Lake City Temple,” said Emily Belle Freeman, President of the Young Women General Presidency. “You may think you’ve been to a visitors’ center before — this is not that.” Church leaders called the reveal a milestone, calling the experience unprecedented.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said the center helps visitors see “how temple teachings connect to everyday life” and provides clear context for Latter-day Saint beliefs and devotion to family and Christ. He later added that the project came together “on time, on budget,” and expressed gratitude to those who completed it.
The 40,000-square-foot center features striking art and immersive galleries. A replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved Christus occupies the west wing, while a new marble sculpture by Swiss artist Christian Bolt, titled “Come Unto Me,” anchors the lower level — a serene depiction of the Savior offering peace and compassion. Bolt described aiming for a more approachable posture: a seated Christ oriented toward humanity.
Inside, guests move from an introductory film explaining temples to an opening wall that reveals a carefully recreated temple lobby and full-scale temple rooms — including a baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room, and sealing rooms (note: these are not replicas of the Salt Lake Temple’s exact rooms). Other highlights include a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple, a display of 11 built-to-scale miniature temples and a nearby temple globe, plus a narrative designed to be understandable to visitors of any faith background.
Landscaped gardens outside contain bronze statues, including two new pieces showing Christ carrying the cross and Christ in Gethsemane, placed near the east and west wings. Temple Square leaders say the visitors’ center launch kicks off what they expect will be a momentous year. “One of our leaders talked about days never to be forgotten,” said Elder Matthew S. Holland of the General Authority Seventy. “I think that’s what we’re in right now.”
Admission to the visitors’ center is free. While general entry requires no ticket, reservations are required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” guided experience and can be made via the Temple Square app or online. Free parking with validation is available at the Conference Center; City Creek parking south of Temple Square offers the first two hours free. The Temple Square TRAX station provides direct access to the center.
For more information and to reserve the “Inside a Temple” tour or watch for temple open house ticket availability on September 1, 2026, visit the Temple Square website or download the Temple Square app.