Salt Lake City — One year before the Salt Lake Temple reopens, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave media a first look Monday at its newly renovated Temple Square Visitors’ Center and announced reservation dates for the temple open house.
The visitors’ center—just under 40,000 square feet and sitting in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple—opens to the public May 18, 2026, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Church leaders called the moment a milestone. “Now you may think you have been to a visitors center experience with us before, and I am going to tell you this is not that,” said President Emily Belle Freeman of the Young Women General Presidency. Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Dieter F. Uchtdorf added, “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.”
Art and worship meet in the new space. A replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved “Christus” stands in the west wing, while a new marble sculpture by Swiss artist Christian Bolt, titled “Come Unto Me,” anchors the lower level—depicting the Savior’s invitation of peace and compassion. “They didn’t want another standing Christ, but a seated one, oriented toward humanity,” Bolt said.
The center invites visitors into immersive experiences designed for people of all backgrounds. Highlights 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 an adjacent temple globe, plus a clear, accessible narrative about temple teachings. A dramatic reveal unfolds in one gallery: a video wall explaining temples opens to reveal a life-size replica of a temple lobby, followed by rooms reflecting the baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms.
Outside, landscaped gardens feature new bronze statues of Jesus carrying the cross and of Christ in Gethsemane beside the east and west wings. “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. Leaders described the visitors’ center opening as the start of a big year leading to the temple celebration.
The Salt Lake Temple open house celebration will run April 5–October 1, 2027; reservations for the open house become available September 1, 2026. Visitors’ Center admission is free. While no ticket is required for general entry, a reservation is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour 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 visitors’ center.
“We’re very proud that it’s on time, on budget, and that it looks good,” Uchtdorf said. “We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration online and in person, and we give thanks to everyone who helped bring this to life.”