Cuneo Museum
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Cuneo Museum is a mansion in Vernon Hills, Illinois built in 1914 and designed by architect Benjamin Marshall. The mansion's first owner was Samuel Insull, founder of the Commonwealth Edison company. John Cuneo, Sr. purchased the mansion in 1937 after the collapse of the Insull utility empire. Cuneo is best known as the founder of the Cuneo Press and Hawthorn Mellody Dairy. Cuneo had the interior of the Mansion painted with murals from Chicago Ecclesiological Muralist John Mallin.
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The mansion, which remained the family home until the death of Cuneo's widow in 1990, is now an art museum. It opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1991. The museum's paintings, tapestries, and other furnishings are the result of the Cuneo family's lifelong collecting. In addition to architecture and art, Cuneo is also known for its lavish grounds, home to a number of peacocks and white Fallow deer.
During the holiday season, the museum and its grounds are decorated with holiday lights and people are invited to drive through a "Winter Wonderland Light Show". Cuneo also hosts yearly Easter and Mother's Day brunches.
Interpretive tours of the mansion and its collections are conducted by museum guides and staff. Self-guided tours are now offered Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 - 4:00pm until May 15th at which time guided tours will resume. The Mediterranean style mansion features an arcaded central hall, a lavish formal dining room and a private chapel. The collections include antique furnishings, Renaissance paintings, tapestries, silver and porcelain. Souvenirs of your visit and unique gifts are available in the Museum Store.
[edit] Cuneo Museum in film
The Cuneo museum has been the backdrop of several noteworthy films set in Chicago. Specifically, many of the outdoor wedding scenes and reception shots for the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding, starring Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz, were filmed at Cuneo Musum. The museum was also the setting for Witless Protection, starring Larry the Cable Guy, which appeared in 2008.
