Entry No. 22 — the Chicago file — filed under: offbeat-museum

Sanfilippo Place de la Musique

Snack-food magnate Jasper Sanfilippo (of Fisher Nuts) spent over 30 years assembling what is widely called the world's largest collection of restored automatic musical instruments, all inside a private 57-acre estate. The collection spans orchestrions, dance organs, calliopes, and photoplayers, alongside one of the largest indoor theater pipe organs anywhere: a 1927 Wurlitzer (Opus 1571) expanded to roughly 80 ranks and thousands of pipes. A separate building holds the Eden Palais, billed as the most complete European salon carousel in existence. The estate is private, but you can get inside via its prearranged group tours and charity events.

The move: Take a guided tour and let the room fill with the sound of a 5,000-pipe theater organ, then ride or admire the ornate European salon carousel together.

📍 Before you go Private estate open only via limited scheduled tours and charity events, roughly once a month; sign up for the foundation newsletter and book well ahead. About 40 miles northwest of downtown.

• 📍 Barrington Hills
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: Barrington Hills, IL 60010

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23