The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is a volunteer chorus of around 360 singers, accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square and the pipe organ, and it has been broadcasting weekly since 1929, making its Sunday program among the longest-running continuous radio and television broadcasts in the world. Hearing it in person is the thing many visitors come to Salt Lake City for, and this combination tour pairs the music with a narrated bus tour of the city so that the morning delivers both context and the main event in one booking. The format is simple. You are carried around the city for the narrated portion, with the guide setting up the history of the valley, and the program then brings you to the Temple Square block for the choir experience, which is typically a short organ recital or a rehearsal or broadcast depending on the day and season. The Tabernacle itself is a landmark: its domed, ribbed roof was built in the 1860s without nails, using wooden pegs and rawhide lashings, and the acoustics are famously so good that a pin dropped at the pulpit can be heard at the back. Whether you hear the choir in the Tabernacle or in the nearby Conference Center, which seats over 20,000, the experience is free of ceremony for visitors of any background.
A word on what you can and cannot count on. The choir sings in a regular cycle: a weekly Sunday morning broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word, which is open to the public and free, and a Thursday evening rehearsal that is also open. The organ recitals in the Tabernacle are held on a separate daytime schedule.
Because the choir tours, takes seasonal breaks and shifts venues for building work and large events, the precise program on any given day varies, so treat this tour as the way to be in the right place at the right time and confirm the exact component when you reserve.
If your dates include a Sunday morning or a Thursday evening, the live choir is the one to aim for.
Temple Square itself is 10 acres of landscaped grounds at the center of the city, and it is free to wander. The Salt Lake Temple, with its six granite spires and the gold statue of the angel Moroni, is closed to non-members, but the grounds, the visitors' centers, the Assembly Hall, and the Tabernacle are open and staffed by friendly missionaries who will answer questions on request and not otherwise. Seasonal events change the grounds dramatically: spring tulips, summer concerts, and the winter Christmas lights that blanket the square from the end of November are all worth timing a trip around.
Practical sense
Wear comfortable shoes and modest, comfortable clothing, since you will be on your feet and some buildings ask for respectful dress. Arrive early for any live broadcast, because doors close before the program begins, and once the broadcast starts you are asked to remain in your seat until it ends, usually about half an hour.
Photography rules inside differ by venue and by event, so ask a staff member. Pair the morning with lunch at one of the restaurants in the nearby City Creek area and with an afternoon at the Capitol or the Natural History Museum for a thoroughly satisfying first day.
What to expect
The experience
A narrated bus tour of the city combined with time at Temple Square for a choir experience such as an organ recital, rehearsal or broadcast, depending on the day.
Best time
Sunday mornings for the live broadcast and Thursday evenings for rehearsal; winter evenings for the Temple Square lights.
How long
Roughly half a day including the bus portion and the Square.
Tips
Arrive early for any live program, dress respectfully, and confirm which choir component your date includes when you reserve.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants the signature Salt Lake City musical experience and the city overview together.
- Families
- Short, seated and free of crowds in off-peak seasons; older kids often enjoy the acoustics demonstration.
- Couples
- A refined, quiet morning, especially in the Christmas-lights season.
- Pair with
- The Utah State Capitol, a lunch at City Creek, and the Natural History Museum of Utah.
- Time needed
- Half a day, longer if you wander the grounds.
Good questions
Is the Tabernacle Choir free to see?+
The Sunday morning broadcast and Thursday evening rehearsal are free and open to the public. This tour packages the experience with a narrated city bus tour so the timing is arranged for you.
Do I need to be a member of the church to enter Temple Square?+
No. The grounds, Tabernacle, visitors' centers and Assembly Hall are open to everyone. Only the Salt Lake Temple itself is restricted to members.
Where does the choir perform?+
Usually in the Tabernacle or the larger Conference Center across the street, depending on the season and building work. Confirm the venue for your date.
Can I take photos?+
Photography is generally welcome on the grounds, but there are rules inside the venues and during broadcasts. Ask a staff member on arrival.
How early should I arrive for a broadcast?+
Plan to be in line well before the doors close, which is before the program starts, and expect to stay seated for the whole half hour.