Across from the west gates of Temple Square sits the Church History Museum, run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and opened in 1984. Dedicated and opened on April 4, 1984, the museum originally offered 63,500 square feet of exhibit space. Inside you'll find collections of art, artifacts, documents, photographs, tools, clothing, and furniture drawn from the almost two-century history of the LDS Church.
Early exhibits included the Mormon Panorama, the twenty-two historic paintings by C. C. A. Christensen about the early Church, and the exhibit Paintings and Prints. A large volunteer workforce of Latter-day Saints from surrounding communities conducts tours of the museum's exhibits and puts on many of the museum programs, working alongside curators and administrative staff. The museum is open six days a week, and admission is free.
Florence S. Jacobsen, a church curator and former general president of the Young Women organization, was a major proponent of the museum's creation. The museum sits opposite the west gates of Temple Square, its collection of art, artifacts, photographs, and tools inviting you to explore two centuries of church history.