Joseph Smith Building
Built in 1941 & 1991
Joseph Smith Building: Where We Began (1941)
The Joseph Smith Building is more than just a center for religious education; it stands as a tribute to the prophetic vision that laid the foundation for Brigham Young University. As BYU President Franklin S. Harris once noted, “The founding of the University did not begin with Karl G. Maeser nor with Brigham Young, but with the founder of the Church, Joseph Smith. Without his revelation, there would be no Brigham Young University; and it was most fitting that a building be named in his honor.” From its earliest days, the Church has emphasized education as both a spiritual and temporal pursuit, and Joseph Smith himself pioneered adult education efforts, setting the stage for institutions like BYU.
The original Joseph Smith Building, completed in 1941, was the heartbeat of campus life for decades. Designed to serve both spiritual and social needs, it housed a grand auditorium for plays and assemblies, as well as the campus’s main ballroom and cafeteria. Constructed as part of the Church’s welfare program with labor and materials donated by local stakes and students, it was a true community effort. Over time, as new buildings like the Harris Fine Arts Center and Wilkinson Center opened, the JSB’s role shifted. Offices eventually replaced its original gathering spaces, and by the late 1980s, the aging structure no longer met safety standards.
In 1990, the original JSB was replaced by the current structure, but its name and legacy endure. The new Joseph Smith Building continues to honor the university’s spiritual roots and Joseph Smith’s profound influence on the value of education. It reminds students and faculty alike that BYU was born of revelation, and that learning, in both spiritual and academic forms, remains central to its mission.
Joseph Smith Building: Where We Are Now
The original Joseph Smith Building was completed in 1941. It used to be used as the student center. The place where they had dinner, went to dances and movies, bought books, and enjoyed the company of other fellow students.
However, it was not constructed to meet current earthquake safety standards, and it was less costly to build a new building than to remodel the old one, so the decision was made to tear it down. Since classroom space is at a premium, the new building was constructed beside the old one, which made the move from one to the other very smooth.
The new building is the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, which was dedicated in 1991. Religious Education is housed in this facility. All students at BYU are required to take 14 credits of religious study whether or not they are LDS. This is in accordance with the original Deed of Trust issued by Brigham Young that, “ . . . branches that are usually taught in an academy of learning . . . be included in the curriculum, as well as, Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants shall be read and their doctrines inculcated in the Academy.”
Just inside the JSB is an outside garden where a statue of Joseph Smith is displayed when he is praying in the grove. This is the only building on campus to house a baptismal font. BYU students meet to attend religious services on campus, including in the JSB. Over 200 wards meet on campus every Sunday.
The mural on the north outside wall of the JSB portrays the prophet’s life in three different aspects: 1) his visionary experiences, 2) his ministry, and 3) his life as a leader of men. BYU offers classes in Church history, family history, the Old Testament, teachings of the living prophets, missionary preparation, world religions, marriage and family preparation, and more.
