Showing posts with label free museums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free museums. Show all posts

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Art, Gems & Rocks at the Lizzadro



Age Appropriate for mature 6 and up 



I was ten years old the first time I visited the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art and I had not been back for years until I decided to share my fond memories of this hands on museum with my Geo crazy daughter. Her love of art, Gems, gold and rocks made the perfect combination for this small but amazing museum.

The Lizzadro hosts two levels of exhibits. The first floor highlights a series of natural dioramas ranging from a prehistoric scene, created with stone palm trees and ferns with jade carved dinosaurs, to jungle scenes with elephants carved from ivory. Between the glass case exhibits on the walls, one notices beautiful scenes of the Italian countryside.  These realistic scenes are a part of the Lizzadro’s Roman mosaic stone collection created between 1780 and 1850.
 
Other exhibits include a real ten-panel screen once owned by the Chinese Emperor Qianlong. Each screen panel depicts the seasons of the year using precious gems, stones and other materials such as ivory and mother of pearl to create each scene.  Lizzadro Museum holds many examples of fine Chinese art.

Of the many marvels to see at the Lizzadro, the most precious exhibit is the 18k Gold Castle created in memory of James Lizzadro. This breath-taking castle combines the art of lapidary and goldsmithing to create a fairy castle where any royal would love to live.

The downstairs floor of the Lizzadro holds an exhibit called the Rock and Mineral Experience that any child interested in gems and geology will love. Each exhibit allows a hands on experience and girls will especially marvel at the ability to touch uncut Gems.  

Located at 220 Cottage Hill in Elmhurst Illinois the museum is located just off Wilder Park. Parents wishing to save some money can pack a picnic lunch to eat in the park and visit the museum on Fridays when admission is free.