House of Worship Home Page

May 2009 update: Visitor Center and Bookstore Re-opens

The Visitor Center and Bookstore re-opened to the public on May 8, 2009 after being closed for one year. Inside, welcome banners, photos with quotes from the Baha'i writings, and new display panels, greet visitors.

One of the impressive new developments on the grounds of the House of Worship is a new "welcome wall" and beautiful reflecting pool. With spring flowers and trees in full bloom, the Temple is certainly a beautiful sight to behold.

Restoration work on the terrace steps, gardens and circular fountains are continuing on the western side of the House of Worship. Construction of a new Welcome Center on the southwest corner of the Temple property (where the small white buildings next to the parking lot are currently located) will begin soon. The new Welcome Center is expected to be completed and open to the public in the fall of 2011. 

Welcome banners at the newly re-opened visitor center

New displays at the visitor center

New reflecting pool at entrance to the visitor center

November 2008 update: Restoration continues at House of Worship

The Visitors Center and main entrance to the House of Worship are currently closed due to the restoration work and visitors are using the east entrance (facing Sheridan Road) to access the gardens and auditorium.

Some of the new stairs to the main entrance on Linden Avenue have been laid, as can be seen in the photograph on this page. 


Construction at the Baha'i House of Worship

"What's that big thing in the middle of the old entrance way?" visitors frequently ask as they walk by the construction site. The tall, oblong-shaped structure is the concrete form for the new reflecting pool.

"Because of the freezing temperatures we experience in this area, the foundation of the pool has to be four feet below the surface of the ground," explained Robert Armbruster, project manager of the temple's restoration work. 

Mr. Armbruster says the Visitors Center is still on track to re-open in April for the 2009 Baha'i National Convention and will open to the public in May 2009.  In order to stay on schedule, the work must continue through the winter and there will soon be tents going up over the reflecting pool construction area.

Stay tuned for more updates...

And remember, even with the work being done on the west side of the temple, there is still much to see and experience at the beautiful House of Worship. We hope you'll visit soon.

August 2008 update: Restoration progresses at House of Worship

The stairs and terrace of the main entrance on Linden Avenue to the Baha'i House of Worship have been demolished in preparation for the new stairs, reflecting pool and terrace. Until those have been constructed, visitors are using the east entrance (facing Sheridan Road) to get to the gardens and auditorium.

The Visitors Center and main entrance to the House of Worship are currently closed due to the restoration work and will re-open in April for the 2009 Baha'i National Convention.

But don't let that discourage you from visiting. Even with the work being done on the west side of the temple, there is still much to see and experience there. 

"I especially love to come on days like today when the sparkling white temple is shining against a bright blue sky," a frequent visitor said recently. "I have a favorite place in the gardens where I like to go and be by myself."

Five of the nine gardens circling the House of Worship have been completed and include circular fountains, lighting and bench walls. Auditorium doors and thresholds have been rebuilt as has the terrace structure, which has attractive pavers on the deck and cladding panels on the walls. Graceful stairs lead visitors from the gardens up to the terrace. The final adornments are new stainless steel handrails and railings on the terrace and stairs.

The new railings along the completed portions of the temple's terrace