This Passover season, Temple Square looks more like Easter than a construction site.
As spring arrives in Salt Lake City, public Easter displays have begun around Temple Square. Brilliant spring colors are reflected in the art glass windows on the north wall of the building.
For the first time since 2020, all scaffolding has been removed from the exterior of the Salt Lake Temple, and no tower crane remains atop the frontier-era home.
Additionally, the dates for next year’s Salt Lake Temple Celebration Open House were announced.
Information and photos from the scene were published in a March 20 news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Salt Lake Temple open house date set
The Salt Lake Temple Open House will be held from April 5, 2027 to October 1, 2027. The public is invited to tour the historic building prior to the temple’s rededication, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Install art glass windows
Today, the building at the north entrance to Temple Square is decorated with art glass windows.
These windows depicting scenes from the life and ministry of Jesus Christ now join the Gospel message of statues around Temple Square.
One piece depicts the account from 3 Nephi 17 of Christ ministering to children. Another window depicts the New Testament account of the risen Savior appearing to Mary Magdalene in John 20:11-18.
According to a news release, “The installation required careful coordination and planning. Workers spent several days meticulously positioning the panels to ensure the delicate components were installed safely and accurately.”
On March 2, Temple Square’s social media pages posted a video showing the meticulous process of creating sheets of art glass for the temple.
“They may not understand everything it takes to create the piece, but that doesn’t matter,” Sam Andreakos, a glass chemist at Bullseye Glass, said in the video. “The important thing is that it speaks to them and gives them joy.”
South tower crane and scaffolding have been removed
In October last year, the north tower crane was removed from the temple grounds. It can now be seen that the south tower crane has also been dismantled and heavier, harder-to-reach materials are placed in place.
Workers this week dismantled a crane that had been sitting near the temple for five and a half years.
Two tower cranes helped move large objects such as stone, structural components, and mechanical systems throughout the renovation project.
“The removal of the crane required careful coordination. Workers brought two additional cranes to the site, one to assemble the taller crane and then disassemble the tower crane,” the news release said.
Additionally, the scaffolding that previously surrounded the Salt Lake Temple has been completely removed, one of the most visible milestones in the renovation project.
Easter displays throughout Temple Square
This Easter season, the public can visit Temple Square and view exhibits and visual installations. These new exhibits focus on the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ, reflecting the hope and joy of Easter.
In February, the First Presidency (President Dallin H. Oaks, President Henry B. Eyring, and President D. Todd Christofferson) issued an Easter message testifying that “Jesus Christ is risen.”
“We invite each of you this Easter season to ‘seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles wrote’ (Ether 12:41). As you do so, we testify that the Easter celebration will strengthen your own faith and strengthen your testimony that ‘death has been conquered, man has been set free, Christ has triumphed’ (‘He is Risen!’, Hymns, no. 199).”
The April 2026 general conference will be held over Easter weekend, April 4th and 5th. Be sure to tune in to our four general sessions. The leader’s message focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, including his literal resurrection and infinite redemption.
