A year before the temple’s celebration, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today unveiled a bright new chapter for Temple Square: a fully renovated Visitors’ Center open to the public beginning May 18, 2026, and word of ticket reservations for the Salt Lake Temple open house next year.
The Visitors’ Center — just under 40,000 square feet and perched in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple — will welcome guests daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. “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, calling Monday’s unveiling a milestone.
Designed to connect temple teachings with everyday life, the center offers immersive experiences that guide visitors through Latter‑day Saint beliefs and a focus on family and Christ. A replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved “Christus” greets visitors in the west wing, while a new marble sculpture by Swiss artist Christian Bolt, titled “Come Unto Me,” anchors the lower level — a quiet, inviting depiction of the Savior extending peace and compassion. “They didn’t want to have another standing Christ, but a sitting one…towards humankind,” Bolt said of the work.
Inside, the center surprises and informs: a wall-screen video opens into a replica temple lobby and leads into full-scale representations of sacred temple rooms (not replicas of rooms in the Salt Lake Temple), including a baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms. Other features include a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple, 11 built-to-scale miniature temples and a nearby temple globe. The presentation is designed to be accessible and meaningful to anyone, regardless of background.
Outside, newly landscaped gardens frame bronze statues, including two fresh portrayals of Christ — carrying the cross and in Gethsemane — placed near 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.
The Salt Lake Temple open house celebration will run April 5–October 1, 2027. Reservations for open house tickets become available September 1, 2026. Visitors’ Center admission is free; while general entry requires no ticket, a reservation is required for the 30‑minute “Inside a Temple” tour and can be made through the Temple Square app or online. Free parking is available at the Conference Center with validation; City Creek parking (first two hours free) and the Temple Square TRAX stop provide convenient access.
“It came about much better than we ever thought…we’re very proud that it’s on time, on budget, and that it looks good,” Uchtdorf added, offering thanks to all who brought the project to life. With the Visitors’ Center now open and the temple celebration on the horizon, Temple Square leaders say this is the start of a big year ahead.