In preparation for the Salt Lake Temple’s highly anticipated 2027 open house, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will close its massive Conference Center to the public for nearly a year.
The only exceptions: the faith’s twice-yearly General Conferences and major special events.
From March 30, 2026, through March 1, 2027, access to the Conference Center, with its 21,000-seat main auditorium, will be limited to this year’s April and October General Conferences, a news release reported Wednesday, along with events such as the annual Latino celebration titled “Luz de Las Naciones” and the popular Christmas concerts with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
All church departmental use of the building will be suspended during the closure, the release said, and only parking and access to parking elevators will remain open.
The purpose of the closure is “to facilitate critical construction, infrastructure upgrades and exhibit development in preparation for the Salt Lake Temple celebration,” stated a communication sent this week to church employees. “This operational pause is essential to allow project teams to execute a significantly expanded scope of work and ensure the facility is fully prepared to support the elevated guest experience planned for 2027.”
Estimates indicate between 3 million and 5 million visitors could come to downtown Salt Lake City next year to see inside the renovated pioneer-era temple, which has been closed since late 2019 and has not been open to the general public since just before its original 1893 dedication.
For now, exterior scaffolding continues to be peeled back from the seismically upgraded six-spired edifice in advance of next year’s April-to-October open house.
Later this month, the release added, crews will install Easter displays highlighting the life of Jesus Christ on the iconic building’s surrounding square.