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 Monday at a fully reimagined Temple Square Visitors’ Center — and announced when reservations for the temple open house will begin.

The newly renovated Visitors’ Center opens May 18, 2026, and will welcome guests daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Salt Lake Temple’s public open house and celebration are set for April 5 through October 1, 2027, with open-house reservations available beginning September 1, 2026.

“This visitors’ center sits in the shadow of the Salt Lake City Temple,” said President Emily Belle Freeman of the Young Women General Presidency. “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.” Church leaders called Monday a milestone, describing the center as unprecedented and an early highlight on the road to the temple celebration.

The 40,000-square-foot center is designed to draw connections between temple teachings and everyday life. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said the center gives guests “a greater context of Latter-day Saint beliefs and commitment to family and Christ.” A replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s beloved Christus stands in the west wing, while a new marble work by Swiss sculptor Christian Bolt — titled “Come Unto Me” — anchors the lower level, depicting the Savior extending an invitation of peace and compassion. Bolt said the intent was not another standing Christ but “a sitting one…towards humankind.”

Immersive experiences guide visitors through the Church’s story and temple symbolism. Highlights include:

• Full-scale replicas of sacred temple rooms (not replicas of rooms in the Salt Lake Temple), including a baptistry, instruction rooms, a celestial room and sealing rooms
• A scale model of the Salt Lake Temple and a display of 11 built-to-scale miniature temples with an adjacent temple globe
• A multimedia “Inside a Temple” presentation that begins with a video wall that opens to a replica of a temple lobby

Outside, landscaped gardens feature new bronze sculptures depicting Jesus carrying the cross and Christ in Gethsemane flanking the east and west wings.

Tickets to the visitors’ center are free, and entry requires no general ticket; however, a timed reservation is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour. Reservations can be made 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.

“It came about much better than we ever thought,” Uchtdorf said. “We’re very proud that it’s on time, on budget, and that it looks good. We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration online and in person. Thank you to everyone who has accomplished this process.”