On the east plaza of Salt Lake City’s Temple Square rests a stone monument engraved with a biblical prophecy — that “in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (Isaiah 2:2).
“As you look at that plaque and you face the temple, you see all the flags around the world leading to the temple,” said Elder Brent H. Nielson, an emeritus General Authority Seventy and coordinator for the Salt Lake Temple Celebration.
Elder Nielson recalls the late Church President Russell M. Nelson “used to regularly say, ‘This is a fulfillment of that prophecy, that all the nations of the world will come to this temple.’ And that’s what’s going to happen during this celebration.”
From April 5 to Oct. 1, 2027, seven days a week, everyone is invited to tour the recently renovated Salt Lake Temple before its rededication. More than an open house, though, this is a “celebration.”
“President Nelson said, ‘This needs to be a celebration,’” recounted Richard Sutton, a senior director in the Temple Department. “And so we went from a Salt Lake Temple open house to a Salt Lake Temple Celebration under prophetic direction.”
In a recent episode of the Church News podcast, Sutton and Elder Nielson gave a preview of next year’s celebration, highlighting information, key experiences and traffic arrangements for visitors to know.
What will the celebration offer?
Salt Lake Temple’s open house tours will start inside the adjacent Conference Center, with visitors shown a short video. Accommodations are being made to welcome guests speaking different languages.
In addition to the open house, attendees can find dozens of faith-building experiences across the grounds.
“I don’t think we have the hours and hours it would take to describe everything that’s being planned,” said Sutton. “There is so much that’s going to be new and renovated on Temple Square.”
For example, celebratory concerts will engage audiences, especially the youth, with uplifting music.
Sacred music will also be played around Temple Square, and lighting will illuminate the temple each night.
What exhibits will be available on Temple Square?
Several buildings and areas around Temple Square will feature exhibits that add to the open house experience, like:
- Selfie stations: Areas that allow for photo opportunities. Nearby volunteers will also be available to take photos.
- Joseph Smith Memorial Building: New exhibits highlighting the Savior’s role.
- Salt Lake Tabernacle: Projections shown on the dome ceiling.
- Relief Society Building: An exhibit highlighting the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary organizations, showing the impact of Latter-day Saint women on communities throughout the world.
- Church History Museum: New Church history displays.
- FamilySearch Library: New family history displays.
- Temple Square Visitors’ Center: Statues, artwork, miniature models and replicas that teach of Jesus Christ and His role in temples.
How can individuals participate online?
For those around the world not able to attend in person, the Church will release a virtual tour, three video projects and a music album. The videos will also be shown in various venues across Temple Square. Virtual media include:
- A virtual tour of the Salt Lake Temple.
- “Dedicate”: A six-episode series where young adults from several countries testify of Christ, temples and temple covenants. It will be available for streaming after the October 2026 general conference.
- “Unshaken”: A film about the Salt Lake Temple’s multiyear renovations. It will be available for streaming in 2027.
- “Beacons of Light”: A film showing the beauty of houses of the Lord around the world. It will be available for streaming in 2027.
- An album of music to prepare people to come to and learn about the temple.
A Salt Lake Temple Celebration Toolkit offers additional communication materials, planning guides and ideas for participation around the globe.
How can open house tickets be reserved?
Starting Sept. 1, free tickets to the Salt Lake Temple open house can be reserved on TempleSquare.org.
Tickets are currently also available every other Monday for the “Inside a Temple” tour in the Temple Square Visitors’ Center.
Besides those two exceptions, other experiences on Temple Square will be accessible without a ticket.
What traffic arrangements are being made?
Several traffic arrangements are in the works to limit road congestion. North Temple and West Temple streets, for example, will be closed around Temple Square.
Public transportation via the Utah Transit Authority will be free to ride for visitors with a ticket to the open house.
To accommodate those who drive to Temple Square, Elder Nielson said: “Some of our very good friends in the community have donated a 2,000-space parking lot on North Temple, where we’re hoping a lot of our visitors will park.”
He added that every eight minutes, a bus will shuttle people from the parking lot to Temple Square and back.
“We have been so grateful for the city of Salt Lake and their cooperation, from the mayor to the city council to the chief of police to the fire chief,” said Elder Nielson. “We have been working with all of them to make this a safe environment, to make sure that everybody who comes will have a pleasant experience.”
‘A wonderful, uniting effort’
The Salt Lake Temple spans, in a sense, “the world’s temple district,” said Elder Nielson. “This is the center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is where the First Presidency and the Twelve meet every Thursday. This is a different temple than other temples in the Church.”
This house of the Lord services the world in a way other temples don’t, said Sutton. “The Salt Lake Temple becomes a gathering place for a lot of members of the Church from around the world.”
For visitors who aren’t members of the Church, Sutton invited: “Those who might be curious of what the temple is all about, come with an open mind, and allow us to share with you what our beliefs are.”
And more than a Utah- or United States-based event, “we’re inviting the entire world to come to this celebration,” said Sutton. “This is going to be a celebration unlike anything else in the Church.”
The Salt Lake Temple Celebration will be “a wonderful, uniting effort,” said Elder Nielson. Those who attend “will understand that when our missionaries come to their country, we’re trying to help them lift the people in their communities. We’re trying to teach them about Jesus Christ.”
Elder Nielson added, “I’m hoping that people not of our faith will come and have the chance to finally get inside this temple and have millions of questions.”
