Temple Square's New Gateway: Church Unveils Center to Demystify Sacred Worship

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – April 13, 2026 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today offered a first look inside its new, state-of-the-art Temple Square Visitors' Center, a 39,800-square-foot facility designed to offer unprecedented insight into the faith's most sacred practices. Opening to the public on May 18, 2026, the Christ-centered structure aims to serve as a window into the purpose of temples, which are central to the beliefs of millions of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

The opening marks a significant milestone in the multi-year transformation of Temple Square, the Church's global headquarters and one of America's most visited religious destinations. It serves as a crucial prelude to the grand reopening of the iconic Salt Lake Temple, which is undergoing a massive seismic renovation and is scheduled for a public open house in 2027.

A Window into a Sacred World

For the first time, the general public will have a continuous opportunity to experience the look and feel of a temple's interior. The centerpiece of the new visitors' center is 'Inside a Temple,' a 30-minute guided tour through full-scale replicas of sacred temple rooms. This immersive journey, which requires a free reservation, leads guests through meticulously crafted spaces including a welcome desk, baptistry, instruction room, a sealing room where marriages are performed, and a celestial room symbolizing heaven.

While the rooms are not dedicated temple space, they are built to the same exacting standards. "There is a feeling in there that is different. It's peaceful. It's quiet. It's contemplative. It's even worshipful," said Rich Sutton, a senior director in the Church's Temple Department, who described the feature as a "perpetual temple open house experience."

The initiative represents a concerted effort toward transparency and education. Church leaders have emphasized their desire to demystify what happens inside buildings that are, once dedicated, accessible only to members in good standing. "The new visitors' center is a window into our sacred covenants with Christ," said Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. "It helps people of all backgrounds understand the role our temples play and why they matter to our members and to the communities."

To ensure the story resonates with a diverse audience, the Church collaborated with experience design firm THG Creative. "We want to make sure that the story we're telling meets people where they are," explained Phil Hettema, CEO of THG Creative. He noted the goal was to avoid a lecture, instead creating a "very personal and heartfelt communication about what goes on in the temple and what that means to the members of the Church."

The Heart of a Spiritual Renaissance

The visitors' center does not stand in isolation. It is an integral part of the most significant renovation of Temple Square in its history. Just steps away, the historic Salt Lake Temple remains shrouded in scaffolding as it nears the end of a multi-year project to reinforce its foundations against earthquakes and expand its capacity. The temple is scheduled to be completed in 2026, followed by a six-month public open house from April 5 through October 1, 2027—the first time the public will be invited inside since 1893.

The visitors' center is strategically positioned to prepare millions for that historic event. Projections from the Downtown Alliance suggest the temple open house could draw between 3 and 5 million visitors, generating an estimated $320 million in spending and boosting downtown visitation by 20%. The new center will act as an educational gateway, providing crucial context for the influx of visitors.

"Our Church leaders really wanted the focus to be on Jesus Christ and the fact that this is His house," said Elder Brent H. Nielson, coordinator for the Salt Lake Temple Celebration. He added that the center "gives those not of our faith an opportunity to see inside a temple and better understand what happens there" before they have the chance to tour the historic temple itself.

Art, Immersion, and Invitation

The building's design and artistic elements are carefully curated to foster a sense of peace and contemplation. Jesus Christ is the explicit focus. The west wing houses a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s renowned Christus statue, a familiar sight at Latter-day Saint visitors' centers worldwide. However, a new centerpiece sculpture, 'Come Unto Me,' by Swiss artist and Church member Christian Bolt, anchors the lower level. Carved from marble, it depicts the Savior with arms extended in a gesture of welcome.

"With one hand, the Savior is reaching out for individuals, but with the other, He's opening Himself to receive each one of us," Bolt described. "This is a very delicate and intimate process. It needs to be warm, and it needs to be inviting."

Other exhibits deepen the visitor's understanding. An interactive scale model of the Salt Lake Temple uses a five-minute presentation with narration and music to reveal the interior rooms and their functions. On the lower level, a 'Temples around the World' display features 11 miniature temples and a temple globe, illustrating the faith's global reach. "This is a global Church," Sutton emphasized. "We really wanted that to come through — that this wasn't about only the Salt Lake Temple."

A Tradition of Welcome, Modernized

The new facility continues a tradition of public hospitality on Temple Square that dates back to volunteer guides in 1875. It modernizes that welcome, using immersive technology and thoughtful design to communicate its core messages of faith, family, and commitment to Christ.

Beginning May 18, 2026, the Temple Square Visitors' Center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free, though reservations are required for the 'Inside a Temple' tour and can be made online at TempleSquare.org. Free parking is available at the nearby Conference Center, and the TRAX light rail system stops directly at Temple Square, making the new center easily accessible to both tourists and local residents.