Church History

In this 45-minute tour, explore the Nauvoo: Cornerstone of Zion exhibit at the Historic Nauvoo Visitors’ Center. Centered on the temple and Doctrine and Covenants 124, you will learn about the Saints gathering in Nauvoo to design, build, dedicate, and worship in the House of the Lord.

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In this 60-minute tour, you will hear about the Latter-day Saints who donated hours of work to build the house of the Lord in Nauvoo. You will walk through the homes of William Gheen, William Weeks, and Edward Hunter – an architect, a bishop, and a farmer – and hear their stories related to the Nauvoo Temple.

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In this 75-minute tour, you will see the Hyde, Kimball, and Woodruff homes. Come hear how the Lord kept His promises to His Apostles and their families as they worked together to take the gospel overseas.

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In this 45-minute tour, visit the Taylor Home and accompanying buildings to learn about the importance of the printed word in historic Nauvoo and John Taylor’s responsibilities as an Apostle of the Lord.

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In this 45-minute tour, explore the Young Home, Blacksmith Shop, and Seventies Hall while learning how Latter-day Saints sought divine assistance in their preparations to depart from Nauvoo in 1846.

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While the Saints were in Nauvoo, they had to work together to help one another. The women played a huge role in supporting the community and each other while many of their husbands were away on missions. During this 45-minute tour, you will see the homes of Lucy Mack Smith and Sarah Granger Kimball. You will also hear the stories of Emma Smith and Mary Ann Young and how all four of these women supported one another and left their mark on the community in many different ways.

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Joseph and Hyrum went to Carthage on June 24, 1844. That day they said their final goodbyes and put their complete trust in the Lord, no matter what might happen. In this 30-minute tour you will see where Joseph and Hyrum spent their last hours and were then martyred on June 27, sealing their testimonies with their blood. As you feel the Spirit in the jail, you will also hear the stories of other men who were there and who later recorded the events that took place.

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This 50-minute tour takes visitors to the Newel K. Whitney Store, the Whitney Home, and the Johnson Inn. Visitors learn about people the Lord prepared to receive the gospel when missionaries came to Ohio in the fall of 1830. Discover how the revelations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith inspired the early Saints to love the gospel and build a temple, and how these revelations shaped the Church’s organization.

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This 30-minute tour of the Kirtland ashery, sawmill, and schoolhouse helps visitors learn how the early Saints built the Kirtland Temple through faith and consecration.

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This 40-minute tour of the John Johnson Home in Hiram, Ohio, highlights where Joseph and Emma lived for one year. Learn about devoted friendship as well as how God revealed His plan of salvation line upon line. See and feel the spirit in the room where God revealed Doctrine and Covenants 76—referred to at the time as “The Vision”—that changed Latter-day Saint understanding of heaven and hell.

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This 30-minute tour takes visitors through an exhibit that focuses on Missouri as the land of Zion as well as the successes and challenges experienced by Latter-day Saints in their attempt to establish a Zion community.

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This 30-minute tour focuses on the adversity, revelation, and refining that Joseph Smith experienced in Liberty Jail. Visitors will learn about the historical events leading up to the incarceration of Joseph Smith and his companions. Missionaries will show virtual visitors the reconstructed Liberty Jail and discuss Joseph’s experiences and the amazing revelations he received.

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