One year before the Salt Lake Temple reopens to the public, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave media a first look at its newly renovated Temple Square Visitors’ Center — and announced when tickets for the temple open house will be available.
The newly refreshed Visitors’ Center opens to the public on May 18, 2026, and will welcome guests daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Salt Lake Temple open house celebration is scheduled for April 5–October 1, 2027, and reservations for the temple open house will begin September 1, 2026.
“This visitors’ center sits in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple,” said President Emily Belle Freeman of the Young Women General Presidency. “You may think you have seen a visitors’ center before — this is not that.” Church leaders called the unveiling a milestone, describing the space as unprecedented in its scope and intent.
Designed to connect temple teachings to everyday life, the nearly 40,000-square-foot center features art, immersive storytelling and full-scale sacred-room replicas that help visitors understand Latter-day Saint beliefs and the Church’s focus on family and Christ. A beloved replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Christus stands in the west wing, while a new marble sculpture by Swiss artist Christian Bolt, titled “Come Unto Me,” anchors the lower level. Bolt said the commission sought a different posture: “They didn’t want another standing Christ, but a sitting one — toward humankind,” he explained.
Inside, a dramatic sequence begins with a video wall explaining what temples are; the wall then opens to reveal a replica temple lobby and adjacent rooms, including a baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms. Other features 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 clear narrative designed to be accessible to anyone, whether or not they are members of the Church. Outside, landscaped gardens host new bronze statues depicting Jesus carrying the cross and Christ in Gethsemane at the east and west wings.
“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. Elder Matthew S. Holland of the General Authority Seventy called the reopening “one of the most exciting points in this period in the history of the Church.”
Admission to the Visitors’ Center is free. While general entry requires no ticket, a reservation time is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour; reservations can be made through the Temple Square app or online. Free parking is available at the Conference Center with validation; City Creek parking south of Temple Square offers the first two hours free. The Temple Square TRAX station also provides direct access.
“We’re very proud that it’s on time, on budget, and that it looks good,” Uchtdorf said, expressing gratitude to those who helped complete the project. With the Visitors’ Center now open and temple reservation dates announced, Temple Square leaders say this is the start of a big year of celebration — online and in person.