The Salt Lake Temple: Opening its Doors to the World

For the first time in over 130 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing to open the doors of the Salt Lake Temple to the public following a massive, multi-year renovation. 

On this episode of "Deseret Voices," McKay Coppins sits down with project director Andy Kirby and church historian Matt Grow to discuss the dual mission of this monumental undertaking: preserving 19th-century pioneer craftsmanship while implementing 21st-century engineering. 

The Salt Lake Temple has defined the Salt Lake City skyline since 1893. For years now, the temple has been a hive of construction, surrounded by cranes and scaffolding as it undergoes its most significant renovation in history. But the project is about more than just replacing old plumbing and reinforcing granite walls against an earthquake. Kirby and Grow explain how church leadership used this opportunity to enhance and expand the use and message of Temple Square. 

They discuss how church historians navigated the delicate balance between honoring the pioneer past while welcoming a global future, how the now re-opened visitors’ center is making sacred spaces more transparent to visitors and the engineering required to ensure this iconic building stands for another hundred years.

“Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time. 

“Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts. 

Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).