The Tomb of Joseph Museum is a new exhibit that is currently free in Nauvoo (2026). It is located in the basement of the Nauvoo Mercantile along Mulholland Road in the main area of Nauvoo. This site merits a short stop as you walk Nauvoo Main Street, so plan 30 minutes in your itinerary for this stop after the LDS historic sites at Nauvoo close at 5 pm.
History of the Joseph Smith Tomb
The story of the Joseph Smith Tomb is interesting, and we won’t spoil it all here. Basically, while Joseph was in Nauvoo, he desired a place for all of his family to be buried together. He commissioned a tomb where his family could be laid to rest, the location of which became somewhat legendary. No Smiths were ever laid in the tomb because it was feared that the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum would be sought out by the mob that killed him. Subsequently the bodies were moved several times.
Later, around 2020, during excavation near the Nauvoo Mercantile, a claim was made that the tomb was found. Now you can go down into an underground chamber and decide for yourself.
Where to Visit
To visit the Tomb of Joseph Museum, go into the Nauvoo Mercantile at the end of Main Street. This is a perfect place to buy souvenirs. The story has everything from art to toys and puzzles for the kids. Just walking through the mercantile is worth it, so plan this into your Nauvoo visit.
Ask a clerk, or follow signs to get to the tomb. Head down the stairs, and you can visit the tomb. There are displays and information signs telling about the discovery of the tomb and a few interesting artifacts. Finally, you can enter the tomb itself and see if believe this is the place that Joseph prepared for his family.
We found this informative and interesting, and it gave us something to do after the early closing time at Historic Nauvoo. There are also videos you can watch online for even more information. Check out the Tomb of Joseph Museum website for the videos, as well as current hours and details.
For other ideas on things to do around Nauvoo, check out our post here.
