While traveling to Philadelphia I came upon a very nice automotive museum, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. Founded by Dr. Fredrick Simeone who focused on “The Spirit of Competition,” as he put it.

Dr. Simeone has assembled an incredible collection of racing cars. For more than 50 years his collection has grown to over 75 historically significant cars, dating from 1908 through 1970.

A highlight of the museum is the Winner’s Circle exhibit with 5 winning cars from the USA, Italy, France, England, and Germany, spanning races from 1927 to 1958. In addition, the museum hosts several rotating exhibits that blend very well with his focus on racing and the history of racing worldwide.

Not only are there car exhibits to enjoy, but they also host many special events such as “Demo Day,” where they regularly take cars out to their 3-acre lot in back and drive them for the public to enjoy and experience the thrill of racing. It is an unforgettable experience seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling the rumble of these cars.

As I walked around the museum, I would put myself in the shoes of those who drove these cars to victory and defeat. This tribute to automotive racing is a must-see. The displays that each car rests in are as incredible as the car itself, depicting the era and surroundings of times gone by. This created a roadway that sent my imagination wild.

The museum also has a fabulous automotive art exhibit with paintings by Alfredo De La Maria and sculptures by J. Paul Nesse, Stanley Wanlass, and Dennis Hoyt. I might add that the museum is staffed with some very informative and
knowledgeable volunteers. I was greeted by several who were more than willing to engage in wonderful conversation.

Written exclusively for automotivemuseumguide.com

Image via Gene Sparks

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