Some good news and some bad news about the Joseph Smith bicentennial exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art.
First the good.
Since opening in February, the exhibit has proven to be one of the most popular shows in the museum's history. More than 300,000 visitors from around the world have learned more about the life and contributions of the Prophet of the Restoration while viewing the exhibit's many displays, artifacts and photographs.
"We've had quite a response," acknowledged exhibit curator Mark Staker.
Now the bad.
While museum visitors may long remember how the exhibit helped them better understand Joseph Smith, the exhibit itself won't last forever. In fact, it will close just three weeks after the Church commemorates the Prophet's 200th birthday on Dec. 23.
"A lot of people have said that they are still planning to see the exhibit," said Brother Staker. He worries a few visitors will wander through the museum door on Jan. 17, ask how to find the Joseph Smith exhibit and be told it's part of museum history.
The urgency is prompted by the reality that the next exhaustive display capturing the life of Joseph Smith might be decades away. Many of the artifacts found in the exhibit might never be on public display again, making the presentation an authentic "once-in-a-lifetime" event.
"Some of the items are very fragile," Brother Staker said.
The exhibit has drawn viewers from throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Pacific Islands and other corners of the world, according to the museum. Many have marveled at Joseph Smith's cloak from his Nauvoo Legion uniform, a lock of his hair and fragments from the clothing he was wearing when he was martyred.
Others have been drawn to the exhibit's Joseph Smith-related documents such as early manuscript copies of the Book of Mormon, and an early manuscript of the Word of Wisdom revelation. The exhibit also features re-created settings, artworks, audiovisual presentations and activities stations that offer new insight into the Prophet's life, according to the museum.
The exhibit is presented in English and Spanish — a nod to the Church's many Spanish-speaking members, including the thousands living in Utah. Brother Staker said the state's secular Spanish newspapers and radio stations have enthusiastically promoted the exhibit to folks of all religious backgrounds.
The museum is located in Salt Lake City at 45 N. West Temple just north of Temple Square. Operating all week, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday and most holidays from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The museum will close at 5 p.m. on Nov. 23 and at 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
E-mail: jswensen@desnews.com