2 Best Sights in Crazy Horse Memorial, Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills

Designed to be the world's largest work of art (the face alone is 87 feet tall), this tribute to the spirit of the North American Native people depicts Crazy Horse, the legendary Lakota leader who helped defeat General Custer at Little Bighorn. A work in progress, thus far the warrior's head has been carved from the mountain, and the colossal head of his horse is beginning to emerge. Self-taught sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski started this memorial in 1948. After his death in 1982, his family carried on the project. Near the work site stands an exceptional orientation center, the Indian Museum of North America, and Ziolkowski's home and workshop. If you're visiting in summer, consider arriving in the evening, and stick around for the spectacular laser-light show, held nightly from Memorial Day through late September.

When Korczak Ziolkowski agreed to carve Crazy Horse at the invitation of a Lakota elder, he determined that he wouldn't stop with the mountain. He wanted an educational institution to sit at the base of the mountain, complete with a center showcasing examples of Native American culture and heritage. The construction in 1972 of the Indian Museum of North America, built from wood and from stone blasted from the mountain, was the initial step in that direction. The permanent collection of paintings, clothing, photographs, and artifacts represents many of the continent's tribes. There is also a space for temporary exhibits that often showcase works by modern Native American artists.