FREDERICK A. SIMEONE

2013 Nicola Bulgari Award Recipient

Dr. Frederick Simeone (1936–2022) was a distinguished neurosurgeon at Pennsylvania Hospital, a faculty member in Penn Medicine’s Department of Neurosurgery, and the founder of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia.

Beyond his medical career, Dr. Simeone was a passionate collector of antique racing cars. His collection began with four cars inherited from his father, growing to more than 75 historically significant racing vehicles. In 2008, he established the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in southwest Philadelphia, donating his collection and automotive literature for public appreciation.

Guided by his philosophy of “restore, not rebuild,” the museum has received international recognition, and his book The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles was named Publication of the Year by the Historic Motoring Awards in 2013. Dr. Simeone viewed the museum as a gift to Philadelphia—a sentiment shared by automotive enthusiasts and historians alike.