Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the new Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in historic Nauvoo, Illinois, on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
"Nauvoo is central to our history — to our past, to our present, to our future. From the late 1830s, this community has been home, and today we come together as neighbors and friends, as brothers and sisters, as community," Elder Gong said during the dedication.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The date also commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith, who were killed in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844.
Earlier in the day, Elder Gong traveled to Carthage to pay tribute to Joseph, the first President of the Church of Jesus Christ, and Hyrum, who were laid to rest in Nauvoo 182 years ago.
Elder Gong was accompanied by his wife, Susan; Elder Kyle S. McKay, the Church Historian and Recorder, and his wife, Jennifer; Elder Hugo E. Martinez, General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Nuria; Elder Ricardo P. Giménez, General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Catherine; Sister Tamara W. Runia of the Young Women General Presidency and her husband, Scott; and other Church leaders.
“What was revealed here in Nauvoo continues to bless Heavenly Father’s children everywhere,” the Apostle said. “This includes an understanding of the united role of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, ancestral baptism, holy endowment, the marriage sealing ordinance, each precious truth and doctrine centered in Jesus Christ.”
In Nauvoo, more than 30 historic buildings have been restored or reconstructed, with more than 20 open to the public.
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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The new visitors’ center, located at 155 Wells Street, has a view of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. Visitors will experience historical artifacts, interactive exhibits, a short film, a Tiffany stained-glass window of Jesus Christ and children’s activities. Stories and messages focus on the history and significance of Nauvoo’s original temple, the current Nauvoo Illinois Temple and the importance of houses of the Lord in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elder McKay said many of the ordinances performed in the Church’s temples today were first restored in Nauvoo.
Young Home Rededication
Elder Gong also rededicated the restored Brigham and Mary Ann Young Home following structural and program updates. A new guided tour of the pioneer-era home at 610 Kimball Street focuses on the Young family's preparations to leave Nauvoo and begin the long journey to the West.
The Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center and the Brigham and Mary Ann Young Home will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m., starting Monday, June 29, 2026. Admission is free. For more information about these sites, please visit https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/history/sites/historic-nauvoo .
About Nauvoo
Nauvoo was the Church’s headquarters from 1839 to 1846. The city is the site of important changes in Church organization, including the establishment of the Relief Society — an organization that today includes more than 8 million women worldwide.
