The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (Philiadelphia) was awarded the International Historic Motoring Awards “Museum of the Year” for 2011-2012

http://simeonemuseum.org/events/simeone-museum-named-museum-of-the-year

The judging panel included such noted figures as TV host Jay Leno, vintage car racer and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, Pebble Beach Chief Judge Ed Gilbertson, five times Le Mans winner Derek Bell and Lady Susie Moss, wife of racing icon Sir Stirling Moss, Horst Bruning, president of the International Federation of Veteran Automobiles, Ian Callum, design director of Jaguar Cars, Duncan Wiltshire, Chairman of Motor Racing Legends, Robert Coucher, international editor of Octane magazine, Peter Stevens, designer of McLaren F1, and Simon Kidston, international car consultant and commentator.

The other museums that were considered were the National Motor Museum of England and the Jaguar Heritage Museum in the UK, the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles, and the Auto Museum Prototyp in Germany.

“This is an enormous honor for the Simeone Automotive Museum, especially considering the quality of the other institutions that were considered,” said Executive Director Fred Simeone. “These are the very best automotive museums in the world and we were humbled just to be considered. To actually win was beyond our wildest dreams. This award is the greatest international recognition to which an automotive museum can aspire.”

The results were announced on November 16th 2011.

I just learned of a new museum, lots of cars and motorbikes, it's in Murdo, on I90 1/2 way across South Dakota

Here is the inventory from 2011, it's not 100% accurate, but close enough to let you know what you can expect to find, you can get a look at them at http://www.pioneerautoshow.com/tour-cars.php

the wallpaper behind the car, and the id tag, very cool.

1929 Mercedes SSK at the Louwman museum in Holland

1937 Hispano Suiza woody, with Buffalo upholstery and Seagrass floormats... talk about rare and unique compounded, doubled, and squared

Bebe Peugeot, one more interesting and rare car I've never heard of, but found at the Mullin museum, and learned of on Wikipedia. What a great hobby!

 cool radiator ornament

The original Bébé was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1904 and stole the show as a modern and robust creation that was cheap, small, and practical.

Tiny dimensions meant that its small engine could propel it to 25 mph. Though selling price was deliberately kept as low as possible, technologies like rack and pinion steering and a driveshaft instead of a chain were included in the vehicle. Production began in Audincourt in 1905, and the car proved to be popular. Bébé sold 400 units in the first year, or 80% of Peugeot's production. It was also exported, particularly to Britain. The Type 69 was sold until 1912

The Type BP1 Bébé was a design by Ettore Bugatti, initially for the German car firm Wanderer, then also built under license by Peugeot for the French market.

 Peugeot displayed it under their marque at the Paris Motor Show in 1912. Production began in 1913 following discontinuation of the Type 69. Wanderer built their car with Bugatti's own 4-speed transmission, but in order to keep production costs down for the French version, Peugeot fitted a 2-speed gearbox initially, which was then replaced by their own 3-speed.

Bébé scored some racing success among small car classes, notably at Mont Ventoux in 1913, where it won in its class. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_B%C3%A9b%C3%A9

The 2nd floor of the mullin museum has a racetrack ambience and garage diorama, very cool!

 The above car front and center is a Miller Cooper

I'll be posting galleries of most of these cars, and lots more about the Mullin museum

I spent the day at the Mullin Museum today, photographing Bugatti, Delahaye, Hispano - Suiza, and other rare, beautiful automobiles, and some unrestored Bugatti from the Schlumpf collection, and will be posting them for the next several days... here is a quick look

above is the worlds highest priced car ever sold, at between 30 and 40 million. Ralph Lauren has one just like it, and the two are the only completely original Type 57SC Atlantics in existence http://www.sportscardigest.com/gooding-and-company-sells-1936-bugatti-type-57sc-atlantic/

In the next couple of days or weeks, however long it takes to get the photos posted, you'll see a lot of Bugatti, Talbot Lago, Avion Voisin, Delahaye, Hispano Suiza, Charron, De Dion Bouton, Auto Union, Peugeot, and Renault