porter sculpture park

This was such an incredible surprise! A photographer's dream. The trip in which we visited this sculpture park was one that covered many miles and allowed us to experience a plethora of very wonderful sights, but this is one our family remembers very fondly. Go see it. It's worth it.

We drive west on I-90 every year going to the Black Hills and have always seen the giant bull head, but have never stopped. This year we made a point to stop at the sculpture park and were very happy we did. The $8.00 per adult fee is very reasonable. Wayne Porter was present and we were able to speak with him before and after our leisurely walk through the sculpture park on the prairie. His sculptures are funny, thought-provoking, imaginative and political. They are true works of art. Be sure to go inside the bull's head and spend some time looking at all the things he has placed inside. It's especially mystical and somewhat eerie when the sun shines in through the holes of the railroad tie plates. We took lots of pictures. I loved the vultures. We're looking to returning in a few years and seeing what's new.

We stopped just because. I didn't know what to expect but it wasn't the incredible quality, meaning and whimsy that we found. The shear size of many of the sculptures was enough to impress. But once we started really exploring and examining the sculpture the workmanship blew me away. After all that, I started reading some of the poems that inspired or were inspired by the metal work. Put together they formed incredible statements about society, politics and life. I didn't agree with everything the artist was stating. I don't believe in a random life. But the fact that I stood on the edge of the freeway in the middle of a field full of metal and waving prairie grasses, made me appreciate the attraction all the more.

Don't be turned off by the cost of this place. There are some really interesting things to see and explore. Wayne Porter is such an enjoyable host and his work is a combination of true genius and Tim Burton bizarre. The giant bull head (over 60 feet tall) is such a creative place of dragons, bats, frogs, and other surprises. You must look closely at all his creations to see the real fun he had in creating them. I have always admired anyone or thing that is different, so this whole fantasyland full of ovine sentries, hooded monks, fun-loving sprites, and other creatures of Mr. Porter's special imagination was fun and worth the money. I wish that he had cut the grass closer around his art, but where would the chipmunks have hidden otherwise (and there were a lot of them!) Go. Take lots of pictures. Look closely. Enjoy.

We saw the outline of Wayne Porter's bulls-head sculpture driving east on I90, and made a point of finding out what it was when we were returning east. A storm was approaching, but I wouldn't have missed this. Wayne Porter -- the creator, originator and soul of Porter Sculpture Park -- has created a wonderland of sometimes whimsical, sometimes thought-provoking and always impressive outsider works in metal. From the bulls-head, which towers 60 feet above the prairie, to the goldfish swimming through the waves of grass, to the kid on the sled torn between terror and delight, Mr Porter has made something amazing. We paid our very nominal entrance fee -- it's certainly worth more -- and spent a wonderful afternoon taking in what Wayne Porter has single-handedly created. That's right -- it's a one-man operation. He runs the place by himself, maintaining the park and greeting visitors in between sculpting the works you'll see here. Just one man's vision and skill. Self-trained, the works are impressive as engineering, but even more so as works of imagination. When the storm broke we sought shelter in Wayne's shed, he graciously offered us iced tea and chocolate cookies and we spent a fascinating hour talking with him about his work, how it came to be in this place and what his plans for the future are. I can't wait to go back.

From whimsical to thought- provoking, these metal sculptures are really well done. Definitely worth your time and was the highlight of our day.

If there was a family ticket for like 10$ it would have been worth it. Too costly to view. It would be nice to post prices at entrance.

Come here with time to kill and a curious mind. Mr. Porter is usually here to greet you along with his friend "Bambino". His "Work" and muses are amazing.

Funny, joyous, macabre, thought-provoking, unsettling, deeply satisfying...these are all words that could be used to describe this unique experience. Don't let the reviewer who complained about the grass and gravel road deter you from visiting. We have a semi truck and had no problem making the short trek into the park. Wayne is a charming and gracious host and his dog Bambino is a great companion throughout the walk. Go with an open mind and you will be delighted!

We were driving by when my husband saw a giant steer head and decided to pull off. I was a big neigh sayer, but I am so glad I lost out. Once we pulled in, we saw it was $8 and my husband began to pull away when Wayne Porter stopped us. He told us that we could all go thru for free, but not to miss out. Wayne was so genuine. He is a really interesting man -- his blind dog accompanied us during the tour. Let me say, it is DEFINITELY worth the $8 and more. The sculptures are really fun and the poetry is great. We were so glad we stopped. Oh, and we bought a sculpture.

This was not a planned stop, saw it as we were driving along a vacant landscape, then bam huge awesome sculptures! Way more entertaining then Wall Drug, Corn Palace or other SD. Attractions! The skill, imagination, and intelligence of his down to earth sculptor made our trip through SD. worth it and cant wait to see his new work! The tall grasses with mowed trails to the sculptures gave our dogs a thrill running amongst them and gave us a sense of what it would be like with buffalo roaming the prairie. Considering the cost of materials for so many sculptures and upkeep made his nominal fee more than worth it! Plus post cards and sculptures were available for purchase too so please make this a plan for your trip and support a true artist! He also has golf carts for those who need assistance!

There's no way to do justice to a visit to the Porter Sculpture Park. Let's just say it is unique.The sky was threatening and thunder was in the background when we drove on the dirt road that's just off Interstate 90 east of Mitchell, South Dakota. Owner and sculptor Wayne Porter was taking away the "free" sign in front of the shed at the park containing his creations and replacing it with one that had prices on it. But when we asked about pricing, Wayne said it was raining so there was no charge.Off we went. There are more than 50 pieces in the park. The one that attracts the most attention overlooks the Interstate - a 60-foot Longhorn that draws attention to the area. The other work, though, might be more interesting. Porter brings a sense of whimsy to his work, as he often adds silly little poems that are posted nearby the art. We liked the work shown here. The fish bowl is about 20 feet high, and it's complete with fish. It was a very interesting little walk, even if the occasional rumble of thunder kept us moving along.Porter said he lives in a more isolated part of South Dakota - more isolated than this? - about 2.5 hours away to the west. He comes down in the summer to run the park. Porter had heard of the sculpture park that is located in Buffalo, so he obviously keeps up on things. Apparently Porter does give personal tours, although staying in the shed might have been the prudent thing to do on this particular afternoon. When we were done, we bought a few post cards of his work - and wanted him to keep the change as a thank you for not charging us. One of the reviews said Porter didn't like touching other people's money, so we weren't surprised when he told us to just put the money into a cashbox ourselves. We weren't sure what to expect when we pulled into the park, but we took bunches of pictures and had a fine time.

As my husband is from SD, we travel 1-90 a good bit, but never had the time to stop. So glad we did this time. The sculptures are so fun! And Wayne really has a great imagination. Ask to see a picture of the horse he is working on! We even got a piece of his art to take home to Ontario! If you are travelling east, you won't see the park until you are past it, so make sure you get off at exit 374. We met a family there, and the kids were having a great time exploring! Make sure you don't disturb the nesting bats in the bull sculpture! There is fascinating poetry scattered throughout the park. Wayne has a degree in poly-sci, so we had a great discussion with him!The rate is now $8.00 for an adult, which is dirt cheap! Try getting into a sculpture park back east for that! This place really is a treasure. Thank you Wayne, for making my world a little brighter today!

I saw an ad in the South Dakota travel book. Had to go down a gravel (what was left of any gravel) road to get to the place. Rates had been raised from $6.00 to $8.00. The sculptures would of been nice to see, but it needed to be trimmed around the sculptures. Not worth taking pictures with the grass as tall as some of the sculptures. Didn't bother to go through it. First impressions do go along way. At least they could of cut the grass and done some trimming!

I had read about this place on Time Magazine's Top 50 Roadside Attractions list and wanted to stop. My husband was more dubious. We arrived at 7:15 pm (the sign says it closes at 8) and were warmly greeted by the artist, Wayne. And his dog, Bambino. When we asked about paying, he said "You make your own change, I don't handle the money."The setting sun provided gorgeous lighting for spectacular photographs of his talented work. There is a large variety of themes, but most are whimsical. We especially enjoyed the handmade signs with peculiar poetry on some if the pieces. We had a great time walking around under the big blue South Dakota sky and talking with Wayne. He was so warm-hearted, passionate about his work, and generous! He had a lady who asked to camp out in her RV overnight. He offered for us to stay, but we are traveling in a Prius!We were only there about 45 mins. There is a clean port-a-let, but no indoor facilities. Don't forget to sign the guest book!