Eventually, the Salt Lake Theatre replaced the Social Hall as the preeminent theater in the region and the structure was razed in 1922.

In 1991, the entirety of the building's original foundations were uncovered during a construction project, leading to the creation of the Social Hall Heritage Museum.

[a] The main floor, which was built of adobe brick, included the auditorium (designed to fit 300–350 persons) with a stage on the east end and dressing rooms behind.

[6][7] At the request of church president Brigham Young, the Deseret Musical & Dramatic Association was organized on October 6, 1849, in Great Salt Lake City, to provide entertainment in the new settlement.

[9] The association's request to use the then newly built tabernacle was denied, as Young felt its use should be strictly ecclesiastical, and instead he announced, in March 1852, construction of the Social Hall to serve as the community's theater.

The ceremony, attended by nearly 400 persons, also included an address given by James Ferguson, musical performances, and dancing; lasting for most of the day, the festivities were closed with a benediction by Jedediah M.

[14][15] Although the community utilized the structure in other ways, for example on November 3, 1857, a special priesthood meeting was held in the building, in which Brigham Young introduced the catechism questions used by the church during the Mormon Reformation.

[16] According to a non-Mormon, John I. Ginn, who was briefly in Salt Lake City during the Utah War period, the men who would later become the victims of the Aiken massacre spent their first night under arrest in the Social Hall.

[24] On November 15, 1886, the Salt Lake Stake Academy (currently Ensign College) was first opened in the Social Hall under the supervision of Karl G. Maeser.

[29][33] In 1905, the Church planned to turn over the historic building to the Society of Utah Artists, which wanted to make it their headquarters and remodel the exterior in Ancient Greek architecture style.

[45] In 1918, Maud Babcock again began to use the Social Hall, this time to host productions in line with the Little Theatre Movement, and with casts that would combine students from the University of Utah and professional actors.

[48] The theater company would be known as the "Varsity Players," and they held their first performance in the structure on September 30, 1918, with a production of J. M. Barrie's The Professor's Love Story.

"[60] The matter was discussed by church leadership during a weekly temple meeting in December, and although newspapers reported no final decision had been reached, there was consensus that the building should, at the very least, be moved from its original location.

[67] While the replica was being designed, the archives of the Utah State Historical Society and Church Historian and Recorder were searched for plans, photographs, and descriptions of the building.

[72] Park officials had planned to replica the building using adobe brick like the original, but difficulties in producing the pioneer-building material surfaced and concrete slump blocks were used instead.

[73] On July 24, 1980, the completed building was dedicated by church president Spencer W. Kimball, with Utah Governor Scott M. Matheson cutting the ribbon.

[77] In 1991, Zions Securities Corporation, a for-profit real estate entity owned by the LDS Church, announced plans to construct a tunnel beneath State Street, to connect ZCMI Center Mall with parking garages along Social Hall Avenue.

[81] Initially, officials considered moving the ruins to Pioneer Trail State Park, but instead settled on plans to turn the entrance and escalator building at the east end of the tunnel into a museum to preserve parts of the foundation, the ovens, and display some of the artifacts discovered during the archeological work.

Surrounding the new glass building was a metal framework with the same dimensions as the Social Hall, which created a "ghost structure" to help visitors envision the size of the original theater.

[82][83][84] On June 9, 1992, the Social Hall Heritage Museum was opened and dedicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley, who shared during the ceremony that he recalled attending a puppet show in the theater as a child.

The museum's lower level included a gallery with portions of the original foundation and stone ovens, artifacts and displays, along with interpretive signage.

Also included was a scale model (with cutaway view) of the theater, which had been created by Zions Securities' vice president, Jim Walton.