You might not suspect that a drab, off-white building tucked away in Elmhurst, Ill., houses the country’s only museum devoted to the art of cutting and polishing stones (known as lapidary), unless you notice that the building was designed to resemble a jewelry box.
Just past the petrified wood-flanked doors, the main showing area of the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art is dimly lit and never seems crowded. To the left of the entrance is the front desk where Jeanne Cardea, the director’s secretary, collects admission and doesn’t say much—unless you ask her about the museum.
“It’s original, the only one of its kind,” Cardea said. “We’re the only museum that truly devotes itself to lapidary art… We get hundreds of people here.”
If you’ve actually been to the museum, that statement might stun you. The museum is incredibly small, and grade school kids on field trips from neighboring schools are the primary visitors. Almost unnoticeable from the street, the Lizzadro isn’t the kind of place you’d accidentally stumble across. Most visitors enter with a purpose: pursuing an interest in lapidary art and minerals.
“I grew up around here, and this is my first visit, if you can believe that,” visitor Dave Madsen said. “[People must come here for] the beauty of the displays, and it’s also something different to do; it’s uncommon.”
Looking at the main gallery packed with glass display cases organized by country of origin and carving style, it’s hard to believe that almost the entire collection was donated by one man, Joseph F. Lizzadro. An immigrant cobbler from Italy, Lizzadro’s fascination with lapidary began in the 1930s when he purchased his first jade carving ,now the museum’s logo. After buying his own carving bench and cranking out a few faceted stones and cabochons, Lizzadro began focusing more on acquiring the crafted handiwork of others.
Through an agreement with the City of Elmhurst and the Elmhurst Park District, Lizzadro built his museum, which opened to the public on Nov. 4, 1962. Lizzadro continued to collect and contribute pieces to the museum until his death in 1972.
The museum’s style exudes Lizzadro’s personality. The main floor is formal, classic and dedicated to emphasizing the beauty of each piece. The basement is a testament to his passion for education, and presents more hands-on displays. It also houses the museum’s most important piece, Castle Lizzadro.
A memorial to Joseph F. Lizzadro’s grandson James “Chris” Lizzadro, the castle is an 18k gold sculpture slathered in stones and gems. You have to lean down to activate magical Castle Lizzadro, since the button is installed at a child’s height. Pressing the button invokes the kitschiest element of a museum that already feels like it’s trying a bit too hard. A scratchy recording starts, describing the inhabitants of Castle Lizzadro preparing for battle, illuminating different parts of the sculpture with spotlights that always miss the mark. A visit to the museum isn’t complete until you’ve been invited inside a sculpture by a melodramatic voice-over actor from the ’80s.
Other displays in Lizzadro’s basement are less glitzy. There are exhibits of indigenous Illinois rocks, timelines of history demonstrated with different minerals, a special “touch” case full of rare and interesting materials, a birthstone wheel and cases of rare and unusual stones from around the world. Most displays are interactive, with moving demonstrations, magnifying glasses, and model trains carrying glow-in-the-dark rocks. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a Sunday afternoon screening of a museum video showcased with gung-ho attitude that almost rivals Castle Lizzadro’s narration.
Tucked away in a back corner, the gift shop is often the busiest part of the museum. Expensive jewelry and intricate art pieces are displayed next to break-your-own-geodes and science-fair fodder.
Open Tuesday through Sunday, the museum’s permanent display of mosaics, sculptures, artifacts and dioramas are worth the trek out of Evanston. Where else can you touch a fossil, see mind-blowing puzzle balls (multi-layer puzzle spheres carved out of a single stone with toothpicks), watch the waves inside an enhydro (a rock that contains liquid millions of years old) or learn about Illinois’ mineral profile? If you’re as lucky as Madsen’s friend, you may even walk out with more than a newfound appreciation for the pliable qualities of itacolumite.
“My friend who’s from Elmhurst… brought a girl here on their first date, and then he married her,” Madsen said. “So we always joke that there must be something special about this place.”