The area where the temple is located is commonly known as Liahona, after the name of the church-owned high school there.

Most of the construction work on the temple was done by labor missionaries from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands.

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was announced on 2 April 1980, and dedicated on 9 August 1983 by Gordon B.

After completion, an open house was held September 29 to October 20, 2007, and the temple was rededicated on November 4, 2007 by Russell M.

[6] In 2020, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.