Things to do in Philadelphia
Introduction to the Simeone Automotive Museum
The Simeone Automotive Museum with its amazing classic car collection under one roof is a unique place to visit in Philadelphia. I was quite pleased to discover all these amazing classic cars under one roof and so close to my home. It would only be a 15-minute drive down I-95 to a location near the Philadelphia International Airport to see one of the world’s greatest collections of classic cars. I have visited only one other automobile museum up to now the Petersen Automobile Museum in Los Angeles, CA. The Petersen is quite impressive, so it was nice to see a local outfit rise to take its place alongside it. It truly is an amazing classic car collection.
Automobiles as Works of Art
I arrived at the museum which had lots of free parking. I looked around and saw that the museum attendees seem to fall into two categories. You had the ones that like to tinker with and restore cars as well as those who appreciate automobiles as works of art. I would fall into the latter category, I found both groups equally enthusiastic.
The Simeone Automotive Museum Collection
This amazing classic car collection was started by Dr. Frederick Simeone who in addition to being a classic car enthusiast was an internationally well-known neurosurgeon. He accumulated his amazing classic cars collection over a 50-year period and had a museum built to house them in 2008. please check out their website for more details.https://www.simeonemuseum.org/
Bugatti:
The legendary Bugatti was the featured car for today. The Bugatti automobile not only won many races but also was celebrated for its design beauty. Ettore Bugatti came from a family of designers who specialized in furniture and jewelry as well. Ettore chose a different path but adhered to the very high standards of his family. The heyday of the Bugatti was the 1920s and 1930s. Unfortunately, World War II and the premature death of his son Jean would cause the Bugatti Company to go into decline.
Volkswagen revived the Bugatti company in 1998 which would enable it to once again produce automobiles of the highest quality. Today, Volkswagen is partnering with Rimac Automobile to continue the production of the Bugatti. You can check them out at: https://www.bugatti.com/ Bugatti definitely deserves its place in the Amazing Classic Cars Collection.
I wish them success as it is one of the great automobile names.
Demo Days
The museum schedules Demo Days twice a month on Saturdays. They will feature an automobile brand or a theme for that day. I attended the Bugatti Demo Day which is a car that I was always excited about.
I was quite excited to not only see the cars come to life but to see, hear and smell history during the Demo Days. The Demo Day starts off with a talk from the museum director touching on the technical aspects and going on to the history of the brand. He would touch on the designers, executives, drivers, and the great races.
These great cars come to life as Demo Day moves outside for the cars to be driven. I had quite an experience hearing a Bugatti roar past me. Today’s cars were a 1926 Bugatti Type 35, a 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante, and a 1936 Type 57 G Tank
More from the Simeone Automotive Museum
I had some time to go inside and view some more aspects of the collection. I went up to the second floor which contained a beautiful collection of automobile paintings and sculptures. Next, I made my way to the exit and came upon an attractive gift shop as well as a well-stocked library. I absolutely will be back to see the amazing classic car collection of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. Needing good accommodations, please check out my friends at Booking.Com
