The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage is an institution dedicated to the preservation of American automotive history and heritage through its collections and commitments to craftsmanship, education and outreach.

It is a hub of excellence in the area of restoration, preservation, and good stewardship of historical vehicles. To achieve these goals, the center is also dedicated to the education of the specialized skills needed to maintain and restore these objects.

The center primarily focuses on the cars of the everyman, more specifically, the middle market cars made between the 1920s and the 1960s. It consists of restored beauties, untouched originals and “rescued” cars waiting to be restored. Within the broad collection there are several subset themed collections; cutting edge design for the everyman, Pre-war limousines,  and the American cars of the Vatican, to name a few. 

The NB Center is not a traditional museum, the cars in the collection are not on static display. The philosophy is simple - cars are meant to be driven and must be appreciated that way. The NB Center takes the stance that a car must be seen, heard and experienced while in motion to be appreciated. To achieve this, all cars in the collection are maintained in ready to drive condition at all times. Guests are often invited to go for rides. Cars are regularly displayed at shows all over the world.

In support of the mission and philosophy is a combination of facilities and  people on a scale that makes The NB Center unique in the world of collectible automobiles. The main campus is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the United States along with the original facilities in Rome and additional ones in Sarteano, Italy. There are extensive restoration and maintenance facilities in Allentown and more in the Rome garage with staff that serves the Sarteano garages.

The collection is always in flux but nearly 300 cars are being stored, maintained, restored, and used world-wide at any given time.

“NB” stands for Nicola Bulgari. Mr. Bulgari is our founder and visionary whose goal is to preserve and celebrate the technical and design achievements of the American automotive industry. His passion for American cars is the driving force behind the creation of The NB Center.

Our operations exist on both sides of the Atlantic. Our US location is in Allentown, Pennsylvania and our Italy locations are in Rome and Sarteano.

We do not consider ourselves a museum. Unlike traditional museums where cars are kept on static display, The NB Center treats cars as functional historical objects. All cars in the collection are maintained in running condition and driven regularly.

The 27-acre Allentown campus was initially completed in 2016. We celebrated this milestone by hosting the 50th anniversary meet of the Buick Club of America, where over 700 cars and their owners enjoyed the center’s facilities for the first time.

No, The NB Center is not staffed for open public hours. Limited tours for car clubs and other charitable groups are considered on an individual basis with advance notice. To learn more, click here.

We regularly exhibit our cars at events throughout the United States and Europe to share them with as many enthusiasts as possible. Follow our social media channels to learn about upcoming events. We also offer limited onsite tours to car clubs and other charitable groups. Have your group’s president or activities coordinator submit their information.

Beginning in late 2024, The NB Center announced the addition of “The NB Center Services” at the Allentown, PA location. The two primary services offered  are full machining and engine rebuilding services, and starting in 2025,  vintage gauge restoration through our acquisition of the John Wolf & Co, gauge restorations. We also offer a full whitebox photo cyclorama available for rent with or without a professional photographer suitable for taking studio photos of cars and trucks.

The majority of The NB Center collection includes American automobiles from the 1920’s to 1950’s. This was the period when the  American Automobile industry dominated the world market by producing technically advanced and well-designed cars for the average person. Examples include familiar manufacturers such as Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ford. There are also several lesser-known American brands such as DeSoto, Nash, Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, etc.

The NB Center doesn’t actively solicit for vehicle donations or loans. However, if you have a unique vehicle that fits the theme of our vehicle collection you may reach out to us.

Currently, The NB Center does not offer public educational programs or workshops. However, we are exploring opportunities to develop educational programs in the future.

The NB Center does not have a membership program. We encourage you to stay connected with us through our social media channels for updates on future programs.