Temple Square & Family History Library

Temple Square is the historic and cultural heart of Salt Lake City -- a 10-acre complex of temples, gardens, visitor centers, and the Family History Library that is entirely free to visit. Regardless of religious affiliation, the grounds offer families a combination of architectural beauty, horticultural excellence, and a genuinely engaging genealogy experience.

The Family History Library, operated by the LDS Church, is the largest genealogy library in the world and is free and open to everyone regardless of faith. For families, it transforms ancestor research into a treasure hunt. Staff members help visitors -- including children -- search databases for their ancestors' records.

Kids who arrive knowing a few names and dates of grandparents or great-grandparents can often trace their family back multiple generations, finding immigration records, census documents, and historical photographs. Watching a child discover that their great-great-grandmother arrived at Ellis Island from Ireland in 1892 creates a tangible connection to history.

The grounds themselves are meticulously maintained with formal gardens, reflecting pools, and fountains. The Salt Lake Temple (the iconic six-spired building) is one of the most recognizable structures in American architecture. The Tabernacle's unique dome and the Assembly Hall's Gothic Revival design add architectural variety.

Note: major renovation has been underway since 2020 -- check current access before visiting.

The Christmas lights display (mid-November through early January) is one of the best free holiday events in the western United States. Millions of lights cover the grounds, trees, and buildings, creating a warm, festive atmosphere. Live nativity scenes, concerts, and holiday programming add to the experience.

The lights draw large crowds, especially on weekend evenings, but the flow through the grounds handles the volume well.

City Creek Center, an open-air shopping mall adjacent to Temple Square, adds to the visit. The mall has a retractable glass roof, a creek running through the center with trout, and numerous restaurants for family dining.

A note on religious context: Temple Square is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Volunteer missionaries offer free guided tours that include religious content about the LDS faith. The tours are informative about history and architecture even for non-members. There is no pressure to convert, but visitors should be aware of the religious context.