A refreshed welcome to Temple Square
One year before the Salt Lake Temple reopens, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave media a first look at its newly renovated Temple Square Visitors’ Center and announced the reservation date for the temple’s public open house.
Key dates
- Visitors’ Center opens to the public May 18, 2026 — daily, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Salt Lake Temple open house celebration runs April 5–October 1, 2027. Reservations for the temple open house become available September 1, 2026.
A new, inviting experience
Church leaders describe the updated visitors’ center — just under 40,000 square feet and sitting in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple — as an unprecedented, immersive introduction to temple teachings and Latter-day Saint beliefs. The center’s story begins with Brigham Young’s 1847 declaration: “Here we will build a temple to our God,” and builds outward into experiences designed for everyone, whether familiar with the Church or seeing it for the first time.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said the center helps guests “discover how temple teachings connect to everyday life and uncover the greater context of Latter-day Saint beliefs and commitment to family and Christ.”
Art, sculpture and sacred space
Highlights include a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved “Christus” in the west wing and a new marble sculpture by Swiss artist Christian Bolt, Come Unto Me, placed at the center point of the lower level. Bolt says the work invites a personal, human connection with the Savior.
Inside, a dramatic video wall leads visitors into a replica temple lobby and rooms that evoke the baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms. Additional immersive features include:
- Full-scale replicas of sacred temple rooms (not replicas of rooms in the Salt Lake Temple)
- A scale model of the Salt Lake Temple
- A display of 11 built-to-scale miniature temples and a nearby temple globe
- A clear, accessible narrative and presentation designed for all audiences
Landscaped gardens outside feature bronze statues, including two new pieces portraying Jesus carrying the cross and Christ in Gethsemane, positioned outside the east and west wings.
Practical information
- Center admission is free.
- While general entry requires no ticket, a reservation is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour. Reserve via the Temple Square app or online.
- Free parking is available at the Conference Center with validation; City Creek parking south of Temple Square offers two free hours. The Temple Square TRAX station provides direct access.
Looking ahead
Leaders call this the start of a big year for Temple Square. “It really 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 that the project came together better than expected, on time and on budget, and expressed gratitude to all who helped bring it to life.
The new visitors’ center aims to be both a place of welcome and a thoughtful lead-in to the Salt Lake Temple open house — an invitation to learn, reflect, and connect.