Despite the cold and blustery weather on Monday, May 18, visitors were still warmly welcomed on the grounds of Salt Lake City’s Temple Square.
Exhibits and interactive experiences at the new Temple Square Visitors Center are open to the public for the first time. Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and visitors from around the world gathered to see the temple and its sacred purpose.
The new visitor center includes a room with the Christus statue, a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple, models of other temples, new statues, and a 30-minute guided “inside the temple” tour.
Visitors moved quietly from room to room, stopping to view exhibits and take photos near statues of Christ and models of the temple.
Missionaries and guides were stationed throughout the center to answer questions and assist visitors.
Some of the guests had traveled from all over the world to get a glimpse of the purpose and symbolism behind the Lord’s sacred house.
Yocheved Ater, a native of Tel Aviv, Israel, described his visit in one word: “peaceful.”
Atel and her husband, who are Jewish, said it was a unique experience to explore full-size replicas of the temple’s sacred rooms, including the welcome desk, baptismal room, instruction room, sealing room and celestial room.
Throughout the “temple interior tour,” bright chandeliers, white furniture, wooden designs, and stained glass gave Arter a sense of peace and respect.
“It’s very peaceful to be a part of this community,” Arter said. “We need a lot of peace.”
Both members and non-members can experience the spirit of the temple and gain a deeper understanding of its significance through the exhibition.
“Our church leaders wanted the focus to be on Jesus Christ and the fact that this is His home,” Elder Brent H. Nielson, General Authority Emeritus Seventy, said in a ChurchofJesusChrist.org release about the tour. “The visitor center provides an opportunity for those who are not of our faith to see inside the temple and better understand what is happening there.”
Salt Lake City parishioner Nat Carson called the First Presidency’s decision to create a walk-through experience “revolutionary.”
“Anyone can come and experience the temple and understand the covenants and blessings that are made there at any time, not just during the open house,” Carson said. “Although it is not a dedicated space, I think you can feel the spirit of the temple, and I think it will touch your heart.”
After completing the tour, Marian Broberg, a Latter-day Saint from Ogden, said she learned something new and felt the same spirit she had previously felt in the temple.
“I felt the spirit on tour, but I never expected it to be like this,” she said.
Jesus Christ will remain at the center of this new space, marking an important step toward the reopening of Temple Square, scheduled for spring 2027.
The Salt Lake Temple moved forward. According to news released Monday, May 18, workers are laying stone around the exterior of the temple, installing a chandelier in the celestial space, and completing additional finishing details.
For now, visitors who want to experience the same spirit of this temple can visit the visitor center without a reservation. The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and no tickets or reservations are required. “Inside the Temple” tours can be booked through the church’s website.
