Volo Auto Museum and the Sanfilippo Collection

During my trip to the Chicago area, I made a brief stop at the Volo Auto Museum. Founded in 1960, it's an automobile museum that also has some miscellaneous exhibits on subjects such as vintage arcade games and mechanical music. I had less than an hour to spend here, so I was not able to see everything to the extent that I would have preferred, but I was able to see some highlights.

Across the property are several mini-museums like the Titanic Museum, but they are upcharges and something I did not have time to see on this visit.

Interestingly, the museum is also an operating car dealership, with many of the classic cars on display having dealer tags. The first few showrooms you enter are tightly-packed with vintage Chevrolets and Cadillacs.

The museum owner also appears to have an interest in vintage kiddie rides, and some of them are rideable. However, this one is for looking only, no touch allowed! Imagine how tempting this must be to a kid.

I wasn't able to photograph every movie car in the museum's extensive collection, but here's a 1966 Batmobile from the famous TV show. According to the museum's website, you can rent this car for $3,500 a day! It's a little unclear whether it was screen-used or not, but it appears to have been judging by the information on the webpage.

After the first showroom, the next two rooms are ringed with movie cars. Some are replicas, while others are screen-used.

Both of the cars in this picture--the DeLorean from Back to the Future and the station wagon from National Lampoon's Vacation--are replicas, but that doesn't stop the museum from giving them a lavish treatment with props and images from their respective movies.

One small room is devoted to vintage campers and RVs, which are marvels compared to today's cheaply built RVs. The rest of the room is filled with antiques, including a player piano.

Showroom four is all about rare, unique, and outlandish cars, including a Love Bug used in Herbie Fully Loaded. (Probably not anyone's favorite Love Bug film, but it was the first one I saw when I was little!)

The zany assortment of cars in this hallway give you a sense of how strange the collection is in this showroom. I didn't get a close-up picture, but if you look behind the roller skate, you'll see two of the floats from the former Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom, which ran until 2014. I have no idea how they ended up here. They also have one of the omnibuses that used to travel around World Showcase at EPCOT, but it's not on display at the moment.

The room includes several Duesenberg cars, tank-like and symbols of the Roaring 20s. I can't imagine what it would be like seeing one of these on the road... just look at those exhaust pipes.

I wish I could have spent more time in this room, but this modified Model T from 1914 certainly gave me pause. It was created by Kodak as an advertisement, and the camera on the back is accurate down to the lens. Like the rest of the cars, the restoration work is remarkable.

One reason I came to the museum was to see these classic Disneyland Mold-A-Rama machines from the New York World's Fair. They sat in front of the Pepsi-Cola pavilion and are in remarkable shape. As with any Mold-A-Rama machine, they also give off a memorable aroma.

The Goofy and Donald figures move with the molds when they come together to form the figure.

$10 is quite a bit more than the $0.25 these originally cost, but I guess the museum needs money to fund more restorations!

The art on the sides of the machines is also cool, and it's nice to see them still in working order after 60 years.

Another specificity of the museum is animatronic bands, including this one: The Beagles. It was an early band that played at Chuck E. Cheese's, and it's quite overwhelming how it's packed in around so many other artifacts. There are benches set up facing the band so you can stop and enjoy the show.

Many Chicagoans fondly remember Kiddieland in Melrose Park, and pieces of the park live on around the area. This Allan Herschell kiddie Ferris wheel is still operational, though it wasn't running during my visit.

Another attraction at the Volo Museum is the Carousel Pavilion and Music Hall. I don't know the history behind this old calliope truck, but it is super neat.

Inside the building is a 1928 Allan-Herschell carousel, and many old band organs and penny arcade machines surround the ride. It's another example of the richness found at the museum that surprises and overwhelms you at every turn.

This Wurlitzer 157 band organ used to operate at Coney Island's legendary Luna Park, which I find amazing. Since my visit was in October, it was playing "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Overall, the Volo Museum was a fun stop, but I was rushed and will have to return in the future to fully appreciate all its exhibits. Plus, some things like the carousel and Rockafire Explosion animatronic show were not operating because I visited on a Friday.

The day after visiting the Volo Museum, I had the pleasure of experiencing the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington, IL, which was definitely one of the highlights of this trip.

The Sanfilippo Estate is a private home only open to the public for occasional tours, like this one with the National Amusement Park Historical Association. We first heard how the late Jasper Sanfilippo transformed his family’s nut business into a successful corporation, channeling millions into the Sanfilippo Collection of pipe organs and steam engines. Seen in this picture is one of the estate’s most prized possessions, the largest restored theater organ in the world at 7,000 pipes.

The architecture of the estate is highly detailed, with many old remnants from closed movie theaters incorporated into its design. However, as an engineer, Jasper Sanfilippo's greatest passion was mechanical music and steam engines, as he was fascinated by these machines for the engineering marvels they were in their time.

It would be a great mistake not to look up in the estate's foyer, as the stained glass ceiling is spectacular.

In addition to pipe organs, the estate contains countless other music machines, like self-playing violins and banjos.

This central atrium stretches for three stories, and as you can see, this place is a haven for any fan of band organ music.

Before leaving the house, we were treated to a demonstration of the Wurlitzer theater organ, which was originally from Ohama, Nebraska and built in 1924. Sitting in this large room with a balcony and Victorian-styled iron arches, the pipe organ serves as the heart of the estate.

We had the chance to tour the pipe chamber, and here's an example of the mess of 7,000 pipes that give the organ its powerful sound.

Although that concluded our tour of the mansion, we weren't done yet! Everyone then drove their cars down the driveway to the estate's Carousel Pavilion, which felt like stepping into another world. The Eden Palais Carousel was originally built in France in 1890 and is certainly one of the most stunning carousels I have seen. It actually has a circuitous history, which includes being sold to the short-lived Magic Mountain theme park in Colorado headed by C.V. Wood in the late 1950s. After being abandoned outdoors in the Colorado sun, the carousel was sold to Virginia City, Nevada, where it was assembled but ultimately languished for 30 years. Acquired by Jasper Sanfilippo in 1987, it took ten years of restoration to bring the carousel to its current state. 

The restoration work is quite beautiful, especially given this is still a functioning ride. Everyone climbed aboard, the Gavioli organ kicked in, and the horses jostled back and forth as the entire platform rumbled around. It was wonderful to experience an immaculately restored European carousel in the suburbs of Chicago.

The ride features some ornate rocking chariots that you do not typically see on American carousels.

Ringing the building are many pipe organs, many of which could dominate a room on their own. This one can actually be overlooked given the scale of the rest of the room's collection, if you can believe it! 
A glamorized Victorian steam train sits on the left side of the building, with a huge room of steam engines sitting beyond.

The Art Nouveau facades of these organs are never to be forgotten, however we were only able to hear a few of them during our visit. I believe that since Jasper Sanfilippo's death in 2020, some of the organs have fallen out of working order since the estate must have at least a hundred.

This picture was taken looking through the mechanism for a clock that came from a local church, which frames the Wurlitzer 180, the largest Wurlitzer band organ ever built. This was one of the organs that was demonstrated during the tour.

It is astounding to think that the Eden Palais carousel was originally a traveling ride, though I'm sure that the facade probably didn't even look this good when it left the workshop, let alone when it was operating. The faux stained glass is a memorable touch.

This is the instrument I was most looking forward to hearing during the visit, the mighty 110 key Gavioli built in Paris in 1906. This organ traveled the English fair circuit for many years, yet it was placed in a trailer without the top half of the facade. After Jasper Sanfilippo purchased the organ, one photograph was discovered of the organ's full facade, and from that one photograph, artisans completely rebuilt the upper facade.

It was meant for a dance hall rather than an amusement park, and it certainly is one of the most powerful band organs I've ever heard.

Here's a short clip if you want to hear the Gavioli in action.

Although Jasper Sanfilippo enough money to purchase anything, he could not get around the community's zoning regulations and was unable to fulfill his dream of having an operating narrow gauge locomotive on the property. However, the locomotive remains inside the building, with a small spur line exiting the building through a garage door. The Carousel Pavilion was a popular location for the many charity events hosted by the Sanfilippo Foundation over the years.

From there, we left the building and thus woke up from what felt like a dream. While it is a little sad that the estate’s spectacular organs only play for a select few invited guests every year, the museum-quality restorations make it a must-visit for any fan of pipe organs or mechanical music. It is a place where the amount of wealth and opulence on display is truly staggering.

Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry

My first stop after leaving Pittsburgh and driving to Chicago was the recently-renamed Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (I doubt anyone calls it by its full name) in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Opened in 1933, I find it fascinating that the museum sits in the last building remaining from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the infamous World's Fair where the first Ferris wheel debuted among other events. I'm sure the building's shell is pretty much the only thing that dates back to that period, but it's cool to think that this view across the reflecting pool is practically the same as it was in 1893. 

The museum's entrance is on the opposite side of the building from the previous photo, where it fronts a large lawn. To my surprise, upon entering two outbuildings, you descend a staircase and discover the museum's main lobby is housed entirely under the front lawn.

Also underground (and free to the public) is the 1934 Burlington Zephyr, the second streamliner train built in the US and the first to carry the Zephyr name. It came to the museum in 1960 and has been one of its most famous exhibits ever since.

As I would discover is a theme throughout the museum, the exhibit is spectacular. You can walk through each appropriately-furnished car, like the observation car seen here.

The projection screen on the left portrays passing scenery, which creates a cool effect when looking out the windows of the train cars.

The Burlington Zephyr became a cultural icon, with its nickname as the "Silver Streak" becoming the title of a film.

Even though I'm not a huge train fan, I love Streamline Moderne design, and the Zephyr is certainly something that defined the era.

In addition to being housed in a building used in the 1893 World's Fair, many of the museum's early exhibits came from the 1933-1934 Century of Progress World's Fair that was held elsewhere in Chicago. One example is this engraved mural that originally appeared in the Applied Science exhibit.

A long escalator takes you from the lobby to the main museum building. I only had three hours to spend, but this is a place where you can easily spend the whole day.

The transportation exhibit has been part of the museum for decades. It's the kind of thing that would have had me enraptured as a child. You can enter the Boeing 727 on the right after climbing the stairs to the balcony level.

Engine No. 999 broke a world record for speed in 1893, after which it was brought to the World's Columbian Exposition. It returned to the city for the Century of Progress Fair and the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948-1949. Ten years later, it came to the museum.

A large miniature train layout is also included in the exhibit.

It's endlessly fascinating to any 6-year-old (and even this 20-year-old)!

The Museum's 1940 Mark 1A Spitfire is positioned as if it is attaching an enemy German Stuka (seen in the first picture of this exhibit). Incidentally, the Stuka is one of only two remaining in the world.

One of the museum's more legendary exhibits is the Coal Mine, a museum original from 1933. It requires an additional cost, and unfortunately I didn't have time to do it during my visit. From what I understand, you descend in an elevator and ride a mine car during the guided tour. It's a very early example of themed entertainment still in operation today! Next time.

You also have to stop and watch the baby chicks hatching from their eggs.

Something that caught my eye in the transportation exhibit is this old Chicago streetcar. I couldn't find how old it is, but it has to date from between 1882 and 1906. It's remarkable that you are still able to climb on it.

I love the weathered paint and wooden footrests, as you can tell this exhibit has been enjoyed by generations of museum visitors perhaps dating back to the 1930s.

Just when I thought the museum couldn't become any more amazing, I entered this room. The exhibit is called Yesterday's Main Street, and I later found out that it dates back to 1943. In a world where everything in a museum has to be interactive, Yesterday's Main Street is a complete change of pace. Along this cobblestone street (which is a struggle to navigate with a stroller as I witnessed), there is nothing but shallow storefronts with antiques that look like they have not been touched in decades. It reminded me of Knott's Berry Farm peek-ins. Hopefully this exhibit stays the same forever.

The exhibit includes a Nickelodeon, where one person was watching films by themself.

I love weird time capsules like this.

Looking out the back door of the museum, I was not able to see my car so I just hoped it hadn't been broken into yet.

Continuing the transportation theme, there is also a large exhibit of model ships on the lower level. 

On the lower level is this large Rube Goldberg contraption known as the Swiss Jollyball. It was created as an advertisement for the Swiss National Tourist Office by a British man using scraps from junkyards. It is quite a spectacle to watch.

Since 1949, Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle has been a beloved exhibit in the museum. It's in a somewhat secluded room by itself on the lower level, but it is yet another display that stuns simply with its level of detail.

The audio played in the room describes each room in detail, and it's fascinating that some of the decor used are ancient artifacts.

I'm sure this is another thing that would have captivated me as a child, just as it has done for thousands in the Chicago area.

Apparently the bible in the chapel is one of the world's smallest bibles, with every page having tiny print. The level of artistry it took to create the castle surpasses any definition of a doll house I previously knew.

Although the museum amazes at every turn, this may be its most amazing exhibit. The U-505 Submarine is a WWII U-boat that is the only German submarine in the US, having made its debut at the museum in 1954. The exhibit includes a theatrical lead-up to the submarine itself that does a great job of placing it in the proper context.

The goal was to capture a German U-boat to be studied without the awareness of Germany, and this Pepper's Ghost show portrays the research work that allowed it to be successfully located in June 1944.

It's quite a grand reveal when you turn the corner, especially when you realize that all this is completely underground! There's even dramatic music to set the tone. While you are able to tour the submarine interior, it's another thing I didn't have time to do on this visit.

In addition to being a tribute to those who worked to capture the U-505, the second half of the exhibit includes more information about how it arrived in Chicago. Following the war, retired admiral Daniel V. Gallery offered to donate it to the museum, but the Navy would not cover the cost of the move. It took some fundraising, but the sub was eventually towed all the way from New Hampshire through the St. Lawrence Seaway and four of the Great Lakes to its new home. After being exhibited outside for years, it moved to this new underground exhibit in 2004. Notably, it was designed as a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

I can't finish this post without talking about Mold-A-Rama, which is as much a part of the museum's culture as the U-505 submarine. Ever since 1967, museum visitors have used these machines to make injection molded plastic souvenirs. There are several machines throughout the museum, and there's even this temporary exhibit with a few additional machines.

I had to purchase a few molds, including this Eiffel Tower. The sign said this mold was originally commissioned for Expo 67 in Montreal.

Mold-A-Rama Sinclair dinosaurs were famously available at the 1964-65 World's Fair, including this one.

I love this colorful assortment of figurines. If you look closely on the middle shelf, you'll see a Seattle Monorail mold.

If you've never seen a Mold-A-Rama machine before, this clip gives a good idea how they work. The smell of the hot plastic is not to be forgotten.

I'm happy I visited the Museum of Science of Industry, as it's unlike any museum I've previously visited. There's plenty of history here despite being a science museum, and the experience honestly feels more reminiscent of a theme park than a museum. I've probably never experienced more "wow" moments in any other museum, that's for sure.