Tickets are now available for the public to visit the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kensington, Maryland, this spring. It marks the first time in nearly 50 years that the temple will be open for a public tour.
Known by many locals as the Mormon Temple, the historic building that towers over the Capital Beltway recently underwent an extensive renovation. As such, it will be rededicated — the temple was first dedicated in 1974 — and before that happens, the public is invited to view it.
The open house will run from April 28 to June 4, excluding Sundays. Public tours last about 45 minutes and include a self-guided walk through the remodeled interior of the temple that also involves scaling more than 150 stairs, so visitors are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes.
Tickets to access the temple are not necessary, but reservations for timed-entry parking tickets and shuttle service from the Forest Glen Metro Station are required because on-site parking is limited. Those reservations are free and can be made starting Wednesday by going online to dctemple.org.
“While we want to open the doors to everyone to come and see inside the temple, we encourage people to plan ahead and get their tickets as soon as possible,” said Washington D.C. Temple Open House Committee Co-Chair Kent Colton in a news release. “Our 33 days for a public open house will go very quickly.”
Correction: The spring open house is not an annual event, as previously stated. It is being held ahead of the temple’s rededication.
