This article is excerpted from Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building (JSMB) on Temple Square in Salt Lake City is entering the newest phase of its storied 114-year history. Select portions of the building reopened to the public today, June 30, 2025, after a 2.5-year renovation.
Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can once again access the lobby, the Garden Restaurant (located in the lobby), the mezzanine and level 1L of this stately building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other parts of the building remain under renovation.
“We tried to create a space that appeals to everyone,” said Melody Riches, the project’s lead interior designer. “We wanted to create what might feel like the family room of Temple Square. We wanted everyone of every age to come to this gathering space and really feel welcome.”
To create that effect, the lobby and mezzanine are lighter and brighter with a more varied assortment of seating in its central gathering space. The overall design has been simplified to highlight enhanced historical elements such as the original plaster detail and stain glass ceiling. The color palette is muted with an energizing turquoise accent.
Tour the Joseph Smith Building through the photos below.
Exterior
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Lobby
Portraits of Emma and Joseph Smith hang in the lobby of the newly renovated Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The stained-glass ceiling of the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Mezzanine
The mezzanine of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
A painting of Joseph Smith on the Mezzanine of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Plaster Detail
The design of the lobby and mezzanine of the renovated Joseph Smith Memorial Building has been simplified to highlight enhanced historical elements such as the original plaster detail.
Intricate details on pillars and ceiling of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 13, 2025.
The Garden Restaurant
The Garden Restaurant in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
A food server prepares an order at the new Garden Restaurant in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 13, 2025.
Roof Restaurant
The reception desk of the Roof Restaurant on the 10th floor of the newly renovated Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2005. The Roof opens in October of 2025.
The Roof Restaurant on the 10th floor of the newly renovated Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2005. The Roof opens in October 2025.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
