Salt Lake City – September 07, 2026 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has opened reservations for tours of the renovated Salt Lake Temple ahead of a six-month public celebration running April 5 to October 1, 2027.
The celebration carries the theme "Rejoice in Christ"
Church leaders announced the theme at a media event held at the new West Temple Entrance Building on Temple Square. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, chair of the Salt Lake Temple Executive Committee, said the church wanted to invite people of any background to "come and see and love Jesus Christ and the people who come here."
The same phrase has also been chosen as the church's 2027 youth theme, drawn from Philippians 4:4. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said the shared theme will connect youth worldwide to the celebration and to temple worship more broadly.
Utah expects millions of visitors during the six-month run
Utah Governor Spencer Cox attended the announcement and said the Salt Lake Temple is already one of the top tourist attractions in the United States. He said the state expects millions of people to tour the temple in 2027, with visitors also able to explore Utah's broader history during their trip.
The celebration will include exhibits, films, live music, visual arts and family history activities across Temple Square, alongside the temple open house itself.
Committee members frame the event as open to all faiths
Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, also on the executive committee alongside Elders Quentin L. Cook and Neil L. Andersen, said the goal is for visitors to understand why the church builds temples worldwide. Primary General President Rosemary K. Chibota said the celebration is about more than touring a building, encouraging children and youth to ask questions and draw closer to Jesus Christ.
President Uchtdorf pointed to recent hardship in Nepal as a reminder that the church's invitation to rejoice in Christ extends beyond Temple Square, saying followers seek to serve and pray for others regardless of nationality or faith. The event took place during what church leaders described as a historic period of temple construction, citing recent dedications including the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple and a public open house at the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.