Mount Rushmore National Memorial Amphitheater

Mount Rushmore National Memorial Amphitheater is the broad, stepped seating area below Grand View Terrace, with a stage at the front and a view back up toward the sculpture. It is the place to settle in for the summer ranger program, and a seated way to look at the memorial during the day. If you want the evening program, arrive before it starts so you can choose a seat.

From late May through September, the nightly 45-minute program pairs a ranger talk and captioned film with the memorial lighting. The exact schedule shifts through the season, so check the current start time if you are planning around it. The sculpture is illuminated nightly year-round; outside the summer program, the amphitheater is mainly a place to sit and take in the view.

The amphitheater puts you below Grand View Terrace, looking up at the memorial from among rows of concrete seats. It is a useful change of angle after the main terrace. For a photo of the amphitheater itself, shoot down the center aisle so the stepped rows lead toward the stage.

Stairs and elevators on either side of Grand View Terrace lead to the amphitheater. The site has seating, potable water, interpretive exhibits and captioned media; a separate Evening Program Area restroom is nearby. There is no food counter in the amphitheater, but Carvers' Café and ice cream are available elsewhere during the memorial visit.