Beginning Saturday, Jan. 6, several Temple Square plaza areas will reopen for public access following renovation work, while the Assembly Hall and surrounding gardens and facilities will be closed for their limited renovations and renewals.
The openings and closures are part of the ongoing Temple Square and Salt Lake Temple renovation projects.
Reopening this weekend will be the plaza on the south side of the Church Office Building, the north part of the Main Street Plaza and the northwest plaza area of Temple Square. The south side of Main Street Plaza is expected to reopen in mid-February.
Assembly Hall
Coinciding with the opening of the new northwest area of Temple Square, the Assembly Hall and surrounding gardens and facilities will close. Plans there include removing the restroom buildings and portion of the Temple Square wall and updating the surrounding landscaping.
The Assembly Hall will undergo limited renovations, which are projected to be completed in 2026. Renovations include limited structural repairs in the foundation and roof, mechanical improvements and interior plaster repair.
Originally completed in 1882 as a place of worship, the Assembly Hall more recently has become part of the Temple Square guest experience as it hosts tours, organ recitals, smaller devotionals and other events.
Oval flags
The plaza outside the Church Office Building will feature an oval collection of 92 international flags — to be raised at a later date — that a Wednesday, Jan. 3, news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org said “will be one of several art installations symbolizing the global nature of the Church, its commitment to be a friend to all nations and belief that the gospel of Jesus Christ will grow to fill the earth” ( see Daniel 2:35).
Representing the nations officially recognized by the United Nations, the flag oval will begin with the United States flag placed in the plaza’s northwest corner. “From there, 91 additional flags will rotate every three months,” the news release stated. “The flags will be placed in alphabetical order, according to the English name of the country, and will always be illuminated.”
The Church recognizes national and international days of mourning and will fly flags at half-staff at the Church Administration Building, at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and in front of the Conference Center. However, with the oval flag considered an art installation, the flags in the plaza outside the Church Office Building will remain at full staff.
Beehive House and Lion House
Current renovations of the Beehive House and Lion House include the removal of all trees and plants around the buildings’ foundations and footings, allowing for inspection, stabilization and repair.
The effort is to protect the foundations and footings from water degrading the structures in the future.
New landscaping will feature both historically appropriate plants and drought-resistant plants that along with water-wise irrigation will improve water management and ensure the foundations’ stability.
