Mount Rushmore Tour Part 4:
The Hidden Gem with a Passport Stamp You Didn’t Know You Needed
๐จ What Is the Sculptor’s Studio at Mount Rushmore?
Tucked at the bottom of the hill beneath the famous presidential faces, the Sculptor’s Studio is part museum, part café, part gift shop — and 100% full of history.
This is where sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the visionary behind Mount Rushmore, worked during the early years of carving the monument into granite. Inside, you’ll find:
- Historic photos from construction
- Tools and carving models
- A massive scale replica of Mount Rushmore
- Exhibits explaining how the monument was engineered
- Behind-the-scenes stories from the 1920s–1940s
It’s like stepping straight into the creative headquarters of one of America’s most iconic landmarks.๏ปฟ
๐ The Travel Souvenir I’m Officially Obsessed With: National Parks Passport Books
Now let’s talk about my new favorite discovery…
The Passport to Your National Parks book.
If you love collecting memories, stamps, and travel keepsakes — this little book is dangerous in the best way. ๐
You can collect official passport stamps and stickers from visitor centers at every U.S. national park, national monument, and many historic sites. I had no idea this existed until now, and I’m already mentally planning trips just to fill the pages.
๐ Pro Tip:
Look for these passport books at national park visitor centers (like the Sculptor’s Studio!) — or order one online before your trip so you can start stamping from Day One.๏ปฟ
๐ฅพ Back to the Visitor Center… Uphill We Go
Since the Sculptor’s Studio sits at the bottom of the hill, visiting means you’ll eventually be hiking back up to the Mount Rushmore Visitor Center — which honestly just gives you another excuse to soak in those jaw-dropping views of the monument and surrounding Black Hills scenery.
Bonus workout + iconic photos = win-win.
๐คฏ Fun Facts About Mount Rushmore You’ll Love
Because every great travel stop deserves a few fun facts:
- ๐ฎ Mount Rushmore took 14 years to complete — from 1927 to 1941.
- ๐ฟ Nearly 400 workers helped carve the monument, and remarkably no one died during construction.
- ๐ฅ Dynamite was used for about 90% of the carving!
- ๐ Each presidential face is about 60 feet tall — that’s taller than a six-story building.
- ๐จ Borglum originally planned a massive carved inscription called the “Entablature” explaining U.S. history… but it was never completed.
โจ Don’t Miss Part 5… and Let Me Plan Your Next Adventure
This Mount Rushmore series is almost complete — Part 5 is coming next, so make sure to follow along and save this series for your future trip planning.
And when wanderlust strikes (because it will ๐)…
โจ Let me plan your next adventure. โจ
From national park road trips to bucket-list destinations around the world — I’ve got you covered.๏ปฟ
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