Nikola Tesla Museum

For the proposed museum at Tesla's former laboratory at Wardenclyffe, see Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe.
Nikola Tesla Museum
Музеј Николе Тесле
Muzej Nikole Tesle
Established December 5, 1952
Location Krunska 51, Belgrade
Type science museum
Director Vladimir Jelenković
Curator Bratislav Stojiljković
Website tesla-museum.org

The Nikola Tesla Museum (Serbian: Музеј Николе Тесле / Muzej Nikole Tesle) is dedicated to honoring and displaying the life and work of Nikola Tesla. It is located in the central area of Belgrade, Serbia. It holds more than 160,000 original documents, over 2,000 books and journals, over 1,200 historical technical exhibits, over 1,500 photographs and photo plates of original, technical objects, instruments and apparatus, and over 1,000 plans and drawings. The Nikola Tesla Archive was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 2003 due to its critical role regarding history of electrification of the world and future technological advancements in this area.[1]

History

The Nikola Tesla Museum is housed in a residential villa built in 1927 according to the designs of Dragiša Brašovan, a distinguished Serbian architect. The building was used for various purposes until December 5, 1952, when the Nikola Tesla Museum was founded in accordance with the decision of the Government of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. The material for the museum was shipped from New York City to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on September 7, 1951, as a result of efforts by Sava Kosanovic, Tesla's nephew and closest relative[2] and his attorney, Philip Wittenberg.

Over the past 60 years, a number of his papers[3][4] have suffered water damage. This has led historians to consider it a disservice to Tesla that his trunks were removed from the United States of America. With renewed worldwide interest in Tesla's work in the areas of mechanical and electrical engineering, full and unhindered access to his work is desired. Yet, many original documents are uncataloged, and may have been lost, stolen, censored or damaged.

Today

The Nikola Tesla Museum is charged with preserving and displaying the legacy of Nikola Tesla. The present director is Vladimir Jelenković.

Exhibitions

The permanent exhibition was arranged in 1955. From time to time there have been some modifications, but for many years the basic concept has remained the same. Its first part is primarily a memorial exhibition, while the second part is an interactive one, with 3D computer generated models of Tesla's inventions. From time to time, the museum organizes thematic exhibitions of documents, photographs and other material in order to display some periods from Tesla's inventive life.

Reconstruction

Reconstruction of the Nikola Tesla Museum started on November 3, 2006. The first phase of the project was scheduled to have been complete by the end of 2006. The garden on the roof of the museum was designed to be enclosed by glass windows, which would turn the roof into a computer room. This reconstruction is now complete, and the museum is available to visit.[5]

Gallery

  1. ^ http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/electricity_supply/1927-157.aspx

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Nikola Tesla's Archive". UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  2. ↑ KGB agent, codename "KOLO", see American Espionage and Project Venona
  3. ↑ "The Nikola Tesla Museum". International Tesla Society, Inc. 1990-07-00. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  4. ↑ "Research of Nikola Tesla in Long Island Laboratory, Aleksandar Marinčić. Reprinted from Energy and Development at the International Scientific Conference in Honor of the 130th Anniversary of the Birth of Nikola Tesla". Tesla Memorial Society, Inc. 1986-00-00. Retrieved 1990-00-00. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  5. ↑ http://www.nikolateslatour.com/blog/2012/09/05/nikola-teslas-birthplace-museum-and-memorial-center-in-smiljan-croatia/

External links

Coordinates: 44°48′18″N 20°28′15″E / 44.8051°N 20.4707°E

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