Last week’s post covered my first visit to the Simeone Museum, which occurred in 2011. This post features a return visit, which happened on Saturday, February 12, 2022, as the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club organized a tour of the museum.
Each of us paid for our own admission, and once inside, Jim, a museum docent and our guide for the day, began the tour promptly at 10:30 as promised. He was extremely knowledgeable and more importantly, spoke enthusiastically about each vehicle, bringing the cars and their stories to life. Many of the cars in the Simeone Collection are singularly famous, having participated in or won racing events around the globe. As such, they are arranged by theme, typically displayed together based on the race track or racing event where they competed.
There were two other highlights for us: first, it was a Demo Day, and the museum had chosen four cars to take outside and buzz around the back lot. The weather was in our favor, as after a particularly long stretch of daytime temps barely breaking above the freezing mark, Saturday reached 60 F, albeit with a stiff breeze. I had every intention of including video of the Demo Day, however, all my attempts to capture the cars while in motion are unusable. While I am proud of some of my photographic efforts, my skills as a videographer are quite poor.
Secondly, a special exhibit of English sports cars, all of them in British Racing Green, graced the walkway just inside the entrance. One downside was the crowd: in addition to the 40+ Alfa Club members, a British car club was also on hand. This led our docent Jim to remark that in his 10 years with the museum, he had never seen it so crowded on a Saturday morning. The museum’s insistence on 100% compliance with mask wearing helped alleviate any fears one may have had regarding the close quarters.
The photos below represent just some of the museum’s highlights. I’ve tried to avoid too much repetition with last week’s post. While about 90% of the museum’s collection is the same as it has been since it opened 12 years ago, some vehicles have been added to the mix. Another change worth noting is that the Shelby Daytona Coupe, known by its chassis number (CSX2287), is the very first car admitted to the National Historic Vehicle Register, quite an achievement over and above its performance accomplishments.
The ‘British Racing Green’ Collection
All photographs copyright © 2022 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.
richardscarblog 
What a fine assortment. It must have been great to see and hear some of those cars driving outside. The grouping of British sports cars begs the question: How many different shades of BRG exist? Were any two of them the exact same color?
Among the beautiful cars, the one that caught my eye was the white Ferrari berlinetta in the background in a couple photos. It was different than any I’d seen before (the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta was my “poster car” in my formative years). This one was clearly similar but different. A visit to the museum’s website confirmed that this is one of only six “Interim” Berlinetta models made prior to the introduction of the SWB. Very cool car!
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Hey Bob, funny that you mention the different shades of BRG — that caught my eye also, but the relatively poor lighting inside the museum made it difficult to make a more accurate assessment. Indeed, the shades did vary among the cars though. RE: the white Ferrari, somehow I missed documenting that. The tour was moving along at a good clip and I think we skirted over that car. But I do love that early ’60s berlinetta shape! Best, Richard
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[…] For a much better and more comprehensive report, go to Richard Reina’s car blog here: RR Blog […]
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[…] Yes, we know about “Monterey” in California, a long-standing tradition every August. It’s grown to gargantuan proportions, combining multiple shows and auctions into a jam-packed week. Amelia Island in Florida in March is referred to by some as the “Monterey of the East”, again with shows and auctions running back-to-back. However, these are once-a-year programs on the calendar, without any other nearby automotive events during the rest of the year. The Keystone State calendar starts with Carlisle in April, then the Hershey Elegance in June, Mecum Harrisburg in July, Das Awkscht Fescht and New Hope in August, Carlisle again in September, and concludes with Hershey in October. All these shows are well-attended by car owners and spectators alike, and the collector car club support acts as a backbone, ensuring consistency year after year. This tally doesn’t count the marque-specific Carlisle events, club-sponsored local shows, or the incredible museums in the state such as the Simeone in Philly. […]
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[…] Museum in Philadelphia five times: October 2011, October 2012, December 2015, June 2016, and February 2022. This most recent Saturday, March 25, 2023, can now be counted as visit #6. Any visit to the […]
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