lizzadro museum of lapidary art

I have been going to Lizzadro's for years. They have great displays with spun gold, precious and semi precious gems in the form of dioramas, intarsia, things you can touch and a wonderful interactive display downstairs. This is a must see and is free one day a week.

Ok, it's not the Field Museum, but it is a wonderful collection of lapidary art. Some really beautiful pieces make this worth visiting. It's close to the train station, located on a very nice park. I always take my out of town guests there for a tour.

Geodes, germs and many things beyond belief. A beautiful small museum dedicated to the love of beautiful things. Right next to the Elmhurst library and historical society it is well worth the trip. Yearly membership is also quite a deal.

The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art is small, but impressive. They have an amazing collection of stone art. The carved jades and ivory pieces are exquisite and on par with the collection in the Jade Hall at the Field Museum. The Lizzadro’s collection also features beautiful examples of Florentine and Roman stone mosaics, cameos and intaglios, and displays of faceted gemstones and mineral specimens. I was totally awestruck by their Florentine mosaics; an epitome of lapidary art, the images are made of thousands of pieces of perfectly joined colored and polished stones. An 18 carat gold castle sculpture containing diamond windows that has come to be called “Castle Lizzadro” is not to be missed.Cameos are carvings that leave raised images on the surfaces of stone or shell. This style of art was popular among the Greeks and the Romans, who almost exclusively used stone for their work. Exhibits provide information about the art of carving cameos from layered rocks and an excellent collection of intricate cameos is a true delight. The lower floor of the museum is an interactive earth science center containing unusual rocks, fossils and hands-on exhibits. Displays of gems and minerals in their natural state are beautifully organized and displayed, with enough scientific information to whet the appetite. The museum gift shop is also down there filled with a variety of items and a broad range of price points.

This museum is located in a lovely small town and is surrounded by a park like area. Inside are some amazing gems, mosaics, jade pieces, etc. that are beautifully displayed. It's not a large place, but is well worth the visit. Staff is very welcoming and friendly.

If you have not visited the Lizzadro Museum in Elmhurst, it is time to put it on your calendar. The quality of the pieces on display put the Lizzadro on the same level as a big institution. Additionally, the Lizzadro offers classes for children and adults. I am looking forward to the beading class coming up that will result in a faux pearl bracelet to take home. The excursions are equally informative and fun. Searching for geods is a one-of-a-kind experience for both adults and children. The Lizzadro has everything. It quite the gem!

The museum part is really intriguing, been stopping here for years and years, still amazed at especially the carved jade inside the carved jade inside the carved jade. And the gift shop is a great learning experience for kids. start them on a cool new hobby here..

The museum is relatively small, but everything is very well displayed. Most of the larger pieces you can see from both sides, and although the museum is dark, most of the art is well lit for viewing. Hubby griped a bit about trying to photograph a few pieces (he never uses flash in an art museum), but although I have trouble seeing things in many museums, I was very happy with all the lighting here. I did have to ask hubby to read a few plaques labeling or explaining things, but the art itself was clear.Upstairs is the artwork proper. Most of it is permanent exhibits, however there were two cases of lapidary skull ("Faces of Time") and one of modern jewelry from the Smithsonian that were temporary. A lot of smaller museums, the temp exhibits are the best part, with much rarer or more interesting pieces than the permanent exhibits; not so here. We enjoyed the temporary exhibits very much, but the permanent collection was every bit as excellent.Downstairs are exhibits on the rocks themselves, discussing everything from how the rocks are formed to how the various kinds of pieces are made. Also well done, I thought. In the middle of that room there are a few chairs and a video you can watch, which hubby made use of while I hit the gift shop. The gift shop has everything from polished pebbles costing under a dollar to elaborate carved items costing hundreds (or maybe thousands, can't remember). Plenty of jewelry choices, and some well-chosen books as well as a book with colored photos of the permanent exhibit right at the entrance from the museum room that I'm now wishing I'd remembered to pick up (I left through the exit to the stairs, or it likely would have caught me on the way out). Highly recommended to anyone who likes jewelry, or art, or rocks.

I've been coming to the Chicago area to visit friends since 1976. In 25+ vacations, this is my favorite ! We're seen almost every attraction in downtown Chicago. Great art galleries and museums and zoos are in all large cities in the USA. But - Lizzadro is truly unique. The mosaic art looks like oil paintings. But, the Gold Castle is beyond words ! The Lizzadro is small enough that you can really spend quality time with the pieces that draw you to them. I'll be going there again on my trip next month and I know it will be the highlight of the week.

The history behind the museum is as fascinating as the contents of it...the artifacts are interesting and it's amazing that it's locally owned by the collectors extended family - worth a stop!

Both kids (10, 14) loved it. I was amazed at the artistic capabilities of the people who made these objects. It looks simple? Yeah right there are things to see and appreciate that took 10 or even 15 years of someone's life to create. And you can't take 1-2 hours to check it out?!? You'd be missing something precious. Quiet, beautiful location also. Eat a picnic lunch right outside in the park. Great visit.

Elmhurst is my hometown, so on a recent trip back, I couldn't pass up a visit to Lizzadro when I found I had some extra time. Great to see the place again, especially since I probably haven't been there since high school! Definitely worth a visit -- and on Fridays, the admission is free (it's pretty minimal on other days anyway). Great to walk around Wilder Park, and wander through the Art Museum and Conservatory too. You'll enjoy it!

If you are passing through Elmhurst, and have kids, stop here. It's free on Fridays (I think Elmhurst Art Museum and History museum are also free on Fridays.). Precious things are upstairs--downstairs are interesting interactive things for the kids--and they can choose their own totally-70s-movie version of learning about rock cutting. And the most darling gift shop downstairs--my son's favorites include a jade skull necklace, sharks tooth necklace, breakable rocks, SURPRISE BAGS!, and mothers day gifts (stone bracelets are cute.)

Went to Lizzardo in May when they had the craft fair going on. Because of the other events, admission was free. The museum is pretty amazing; pieces are displayed beautifully, the staff is courteous and knowledgeable, and the displays awe inspiring. Took my husband and I about an hour to walk through and see some of the extra demonstrations they were running downstairs. The gift shop is small but has unique trinkets, great fossil, rock and gemstone samples, and even some higher end jewelry. I was impressed that the store really caters to all price points and has a good variety to choose from. Definitely a unique little place and we are glad we stopped in!

This is a great place for kids, but it is fun for adults too. Inexpensive and certainly worth the trip. Plenty of parking (free) and Fridays are free day as well. Other days the museum charges a small fee for entry. totally worth it.