Between 1927 and 1941, Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers sculpted the 60-foot busts of four exalted American Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history. Visitors to the memorial come primarily to view the granite sculpture itself, but also of interest is the Sculptor's Studio built under the direction of the artist, Gutzon Borglum, in 1939.

Mount Rushmore memorializes the birth, growth, preservation and development of the United States of America. South Dakota’s Black Hills provide the backdrop for Mount Rushmore, the world’s greatest mountain carving. These 60-foot high faces, 500 feet up, look out over a setting of pine, spruce, birch, and aspen in the clear western air.

Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began drilling into the 5,725-foot mountain in 1927. Creation of the Shrine of Democracy took 14 years and cost a mere $1 million, though it’s now deemed priceless.

Recently, ten years of redevelopment work culminated with the completion of extensive new visitor facilities. These include a new Visitor Center and Museum and the Presidential Trail, a walking trail and boardwalk providing spectacular close-up views of the mountain sculpture.

Throughout 1998, Mount Rushmore National Memorial celebrated the culmination of a multi-million dollar public-private partnership project to improve visitor facilities at the memorial. The new Lincoln Borglum Museum explores the stories behind the making of Mount Rushmore.

The memorial serves as home to many animals and plants representative of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The geologic formations of the heart of the Black Hills region are also evident at Mount Rushmore, including large outcrops of granite and mica schist.

The Avenue of Flags leads from the Concession Building to the Grandview Terrace. The flags of the 56 states and territories again fly below the memorial. The avenue provides direct and easy access to the Grandview Terrace and Presidential Trail, a half-mile walking trail that offers spectacular views of the mountain sculpture.

The memorial offers interpretive programs, exhibits and a film at the Lincoln Borglum Museum. Rangers provide interpretive walks and talks, including the Evening Sculpture Lighting Ceremony. The lighting program takes place at approximately 9 p.m. nightly (May-September) in the park’s amphitheater. The amphitheater is fully accessible via the Avenue of Flags to elevators at the museum.