Video of the Scale Model of the Salt Lake Temple. (Press play to view)
Today, the Church unveiled an 88-inch scale model of the Salt Lake Temple in the South Visitors’ Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake. You can see an introduction of the model in the video clip above. It is a 1:32 scale replica of the temple, with the walls cut away so visitors can see the rooms inside. Sixteen model makers constructed the model over five months, and went to great lengths to construct the model, using thousands of photographs to make sure every intricate detail was accurate, from the murals, to the wall paintings, chairs, lighting fixtures, etc. You can look into nearly every room.
The community regularly gets to tour new temples in a public open house before they are dedicated, but since it’s been so long since the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, they hope this model will allow visitors to get the same experience of this temple:
“This replica will show the millions of visitors who come to Temple Square the beauty and majesty of this sacred and historic building,” said Elder Richard G. Hinckley, executive director of the Missionary Department. “Like all temples, once the building is dedicated it is used for sacred Church purposes and not open to the general public, but this exhibit will provide the public with a glimpse of the interior and a feeling of the Spirit that is present there.”
You can read more details, and see a few photos, about the model in the Church’s news release. They also have more details about the project, photos, audio clips, and a fact sheet at this link about the creation process.
I’m going to have to go up to Temple Square to see this fantastic new model.
