From May to September Mount Rushmore offers several ranger guided programs at the Memorial. The Evening Lighting Ceremony is the most popular program. This program is held nightly at 9pm MDT from mid-May through August. During the month of September the program starts at 8pm. The program is 30 minutes in length and consists of a ranger presentation followed by a film. At the conclusion of the film the audience sings the National Anthem as the lights slowly rise to illuminate Mount Rushmore. The last Evening Lighting Ceremony of the year will take place on September 30th. For the rest of the year the lights will still come on at dusk and illuminate the mountain for two hours each night.
Mountain will be lit for two hours at dusk.

The Presidential Walk is another program to join when you visit Mount Rushmore. Join a ranger to walk the first quarter mile of the Presidential Trail to the base of Mount Rushmore. Along the way the ranger will talk to you about the four presidents on Mount Rushmore and the reasons they were selected for the carving. The program lasts about half an hour and is fully accessible.
Program times: 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30.

Studio talks are held daily at the Sculptor's Studio from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Rangers give educational and entertaining talks, telling the story, in-depth, of how Mount Rushmore was carved. These talks are 15 minutes in length and are a great way to get the story of Mount Rushmore in a short amount of time. You will hear anecdotal tales about the workers and see the actual tools used in the carving of Mount Rushmore. This talk a true experience for the heart and the senses.
Studio Closed for the season.

During the summer months there is a daily Children's Program. This program is for kid's ages 5-12 and they must be accompanied by an adult. A ranger will lead the kids on a walk where they will discover some of the many treasures to be found here at Mount Rushmore.
See you next summer!

The Sculptor-In-Residence program features an artist demonstrating the art of sculpture using many different mediums. Short talks are given by the artist explaining the process they use to create their own works of art today and those used by the sculptor in carving Mount Rushmore. The Sculptor-In Residence is located on the Borglum View Terrace, ask a ranger for directions.