Come and See

Many artifacts from Joseph Smith’s life survive to this day. View them in this online exhibit.

The Sacred Grove in Palmyra, New York, is the site where Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, visited Joseph Smith in 1820. Explore places where the Restoration of the gospel began.

This exhibit displays priceless foundational records from the Church’s history, including early editions of modern scripture, personal records of modern prophets, and evidence of key developments in Church doctrine and organization.

Joseph Smith recorded that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in a grove of trees near his parents’ home in western New York State when he was about 14 years old. Concerned by his sins and unsure which spiritual path to follow, Joseph sought guidance by attending meetings, reading scripture, and praying. In answer, he received a heavenly manifestation.

Joseph’s life was short but remarkable. Born in 1805 in Vermont, he moved as a young boy to Palmyra, New York, a place of great religious fervor at the time. While praying out loud for the first time, he experienced what is now known as the First Vision.