Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 17 June 2008 |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Type | Automobile museum |
| Key holdings | 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II 1970 Porsche 917LH 1936 Bugatti Type 57G Tank 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B MM 1958 Aston Martin DBR1 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 1956 Jaguar D-Type 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza |
| Collection size | 70+ cars |
| Founder | Frederick A. Simeone |
| Owner | Frederick A. Simeone MD Foundation, Inc. |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is an amazing car museum located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the USA. It's home to about 75 incredible racing sports cars. These cars were collected over more than 50 years by Dr. Frederick A. Simeone, a retired brain doctor from Philadelphia. He was even named the top car collector by the Classic Car Trust Registry!
Contents
The Museum's Story
How the Collection Started
Dr. Frederick Simeone's father was a doctor who worked from his home in Philadelphia. When his father passed away in 1972, Frederick inherited $8,000 and four cars. These cars were kept in a garage on Clearfield Street. Over the next 40 years, Frederick grew this small collection into something truly special.
Opening the Museum
In 2008, Dr. Simeone gave his entire collection of cars to the museum's foundation. This foundation now officially owns all the cars. Before the museum opened in June 2008, the cars were stored in a garage near 8th and Lombard Streets in Philadelphia. Dr. Simeone passed away in 2022 at 86 years old.
What Makes a Car Special Enough for the Museum?
The Simeone Museum has strict rules for which cars can join its collection. These rules help make sure every car is truly unique and important:
- The car must be a sports car with working headlights and fenders. This means it was built for both racing and regular roads.
- The car must have a history of racing on public roads, not just on a track.
- The car needs to be considered very important, or a "winner," known for its amazing racing performance.
- The main parts of the car, like its frame, engine, and body, must be the original ones.
See the Cars in Action: Demonstration Days
The museum has a cool program called "Demonstration Days." This happens twice a month. During these days, several cars are moved to a large parking lot behind the museum. First, there's an educational talk about the cars and their history. Then, the museum's curator actually drives the cars! It's a rare chance to see these historic vehicles in motion. After the driving show, visitors can get up close to the cars, inspect them, and take photos.
Exploring the Museum's Amazing Cars
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum has 21 different exhibits and about 70 cars in its main collection. The cars are set up in order of when they were made. They are also placed in scenes that look like famous race tracks and events.
Some of the famous racing places you'll see represented include Le Mans, Nürburgring, Sebring, Bonneville, and Mille Miglia. Many experts say the museum's collection is "one of the finest collections of rare and important racing sports cars in the world." Almost every car in the collection still has its original body. Most of the cars can even still be driven! The museum uses special aviation gasoline for the cars because it's more stable and helps these older engines run well.
A Look at Some Exhibits and Cars
Here are some of the exciting exhibits and the cars you might find in them:
| Exhibit name | Car(s) in exhibit |
|---|---|
| Endurance Trial |
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| Pre World War I Racing |
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| Automobile Racing Club of America |
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| Watkins Glen |
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| Bonneville Salt Flats |
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| Brooklands Track |
|
| Timed Trials |
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| Hillclimb |
|
| Nürburgring |
|
| Match Race |
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| Targa Florio |
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| Mille Miglia |
|
| Rifornimento |
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| Sporty Cars |
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| History of NASCAR |
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| Sebring |
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| Rally Racing |
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| Le Mans |
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| America's 1st International Win |
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| America at Le Mans |
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| Winner's Circle |
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Awards and Recognition
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum has won many important awards for its amazing collection and work:
- 2019: Ranked as the #1 Classic Car Collector.
- 2017: Named "Museum or Collection of the Year" at the International Historic Motoring Awards.
- 2014: The 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe was named "Car of the Year" at the International Historic Motoring Awards.
- 2014: The 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe was the very first car added to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
- 2012: "The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles" (a book by the museum) won "Publication of the Year."
- 2011: Won "Museum of the Year" at the International Historic Motoring Awards.
The Spirit of Competition Award
The museum's main idea is the "Spirit of Competition." Every year, they give an award with this name to a special person from the world of motorsports. This award celebrates their achievements and competitive spirit.
Past winners of this award include:
- 2008 Mario Andretti
- 2009 Janet Guthrie
- 2010 John Fitch
- 2011 Craig Breedlove
- 2012 Sam Posey
- 2013 Hurley Haywood
- 2014 Bobby Rahal
- 2015 David Hobbs
- 2016 Peter Brock
- 2017 Derek Bell
- 2018 Roger Penske
