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- President Russell M. Nelson is inviting the public to the Salt Lake Temple open house for six months in 2027.
- The temple's renovation, started in 2019, is nearing completion, enhancing its foundation.
- The open house will be the first time members of the general public will be able to tour it since the temple's 1893 dedication.
SALT LAKE CITY — President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invited people around the world Friday to visit the church's historic Salt Lake Temple during a unique public open house for six months, from April to October of 2027.
It will be the first time the general public will be allowed to tour the temple since 1893.
"We warmly invite our friends to come and learn about God's plan for his children and rejoice in the love of Jesus Christ," he said in an announcement on his social media channels.
He said the comprehensive renovation to strengthen the temple's foundation, which began in 2019, is nearing completion.
Details about the open house and dedication will be announced as April 2027 approaches.
The church president made the announcement on Valentine's Day, exactly 172 years after the Salt Lake Temple's groundbreaking ceremony, on Feb. 14, 1853. He said that ceremony began a "40-year journey of faith and sacrifice," leading to the temple's dedication in 1893.
"As houses of the Lord now dot the earth, I invite you to cherish your time and service at the temples closest to you as we prepare for the reopening of the Salt Lake Temple in 2027," President Nelson said.
On February 14, 1853, a groundbreaking ceremony in Salt Lake City began a 40-year journey of faith and sacrifice, culminating in the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893.
— Russell M. Nelson (@NelsonRussellM) February 14, 2025
A current and comprehensive renovation to strengthen this sacred house of the Lord for future… pic.twitter.com/g1nabmPvtW
The open house in two years will mark the first time the general public can walk through the Salt Lake Temple since its initial dedication in 1893. Although the temple closed in the early 1960s for renovations, an open house was not held. The temple, located at the headquarters of the church on Temple Square, has been a symbol of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world and a tourist destination.
During an open house, those who are not members of the church are invited to come tour the building and learn about temples. After the temple is dedicated, only members of the church with temple recommends are allowed to enter.
President Nelson announced plans to renovate the temple, along with other Utah temples built around the same time, during general conference in April 2019.
He said at a press conference that the renovations would include efforts to honor and maintain the historic beauty of the temple. It closed on Dec. 29, 2019, and work began to update the electrical and plumbing systems, rebuild the annex, renovate entrances and provide supports underneath the temple to protect it from earthquakes.
At that point, the church announced that when the temple reopens, it will provide ceremonies in 86 languages, when before they were only available in English.
Much of Temple Square is open to visitors during the renovation, including the Conference Center, Tabernacle, Church Office Building plazas and history museums at the site.
