Nikola Tesla Experience, Virtual Reality Museum

Challenge

Nikola Tesla was far from an ordinary man. A visionary, unsurpassed genius, creator of the 21st century – these are just some of the epithets that are used to depict the life and work of, probably, the greatest scientist of all time.

Our challenge: Conjure up the personality and work of the greatest scientist of all time and present the story in a manner worthy of the hero, stay true to Tesla’s philosophy and make a step forward from anything seen before.

The Goal

Our goal was to use innovation and introduce the world to the greatest inventor, provide an experience worthy of the personality and work of the man who created the future and give people the opportunity to learn everything about the life and work of Nikola Tesla at first hand.

The Great Idea

Experience Nikola Tesla.

From youth to maturity, from the drawings in his mind to the world-changing patents, from success to painful defeat. The idea is to take each guest to the places where Nikola Tesla lived and worked and allow Tesla himself to be the narrator.

Tesla strove throughout his life to break spatial and temporal boundaries. Therefore, the project is based on VR technology and it does not matter anymore where you are and what time of day it is – this project is available to you in all meridians and at all times.

Journey & Research

Goal is what motivates you, journey is what you enjoy.

Working on this project was not a task, but rather a privilege. The question repeated throughout the journey was: Is there any greater challenge than reviving the character and work of Nikola Tesla? Every step of the process was filled with awe and striving for perfection.

Books, articles, writings, notes, interviews, interpretations, photos, museum staff and archives, admirers of the personality and work of Nikola Tesla – all these sources were used to portray the great scientist as authentically as possible. The team behind Experience Tesla project invested hundreds of hours of research and work and had to experience and live Tesla throughout the journey in order to fully accomplish the goal.

Innovations

A new way of presenting historical figures.

Working in VR environment has brought great opportunities, but also unexpected challenges. It took a completely new approach to recreating a 3D character through narration and cinematography in order to provide visitors with an immersive experience of meeting Tesla. We used state-of- the-art technology in special effects, like face and body motion capture, and invested months in developing subtle details using, for example, inverse kinematics, which enables Tesla to look you in the eye while you move freely around the room.

After meeting Tesla, visitors will be confident that this is the new way of reviving historical figures.

Character of Nikola Tesla

Ten versions of Tesla.

Creating five different characters of the great scientist was a great challenge. The stories are set in different time periods, and the personality and appearance of each character has to reflect Tesla’s attitude and age.

Unfortunately, visual records are unreliable – photos of Tesla are scarce, and the sculptures are not consistent. Not even Tesla’s death mask is a credible portrayal of his features. This required further research but also allowed artistic freedom.

The acting part was quite demanding. To ensure Tesla looked realistic in all the scenes, two actors lent their voices and recreated his expressions and personality while the third performed Tesla’s body movements.

Initiative

A symbiosis of vision and initiative by Direct Media and Digital Mind, created a step forward in implementation of new technology in education, and created the first Virtual Reality museum exhibition. Direct Media has recognized the idea from Vitomir Jevremović, to resurrect the greatest scientist of all time using new technologies, as a donation to the Museum of Nikola Tesla in the year when this company celebrates it's 15th birthday and the world celebrates 160 years since the scientist was born.

Reactions

“Today, modern technologies make arts and science more available than ever, and by the launch of mobile application for VR devices, as an extension of Nikola Tesla Experience project, we wanted to make this unique experience closer to Tesla's admirers around the world. Our goal was to employ new technologies, like virtual reality, as a reminder to Tesla's values about the availability and fulfillment of the purpose of new technologies for the good of all mankind.”

Reactions

“As a team we knew what to expect, but unless you have experienced virtual reality, you cannot imagine what it will be like when Nikola Tesla himself talks to you in person. It is a fortunate circumstance that VR technology has advanced in the year when we mark 160 years since his birth and that we have been given this amazing opportunity right now to make one of the first VR museums in the world.”

Vitomir Jevremović, author of Nikola Tesla Experience Exhibition

Applications

The opportunity to meet Tesla is in your hands. The experience is available to everyone on HTC VIVE or Oculus Rift devices, and you can download the app for your phone from Google Play Store or Apple App Store and meet Tesla using your VR-capable phone or Gear VR.

Niagara Falls

The first hydroelectric power plant

The first hydroelectric power plant and the place where the world met Nikola Tesla Niagara Falls is where the first hydroelectric power plant in the world was built, the grandest work of electrical engineering which had been designed and built by then. The plant was put into operation in 1896 and produced 15,000 horsepower. Tesla, who signed 9 out of 13 patents, fulfilled his childhood dream by putting the hydroelectric plant into operation and presented himself to the world as the greatest scientist of all time.

Allow him to introduce himself to you too and further explain the significance of the invention that would change the world.

Colorado Springs

The laboratory where Tesla made his greatest discovery

On June 1, 1899, Tesla moved from New York to a laboratory in Colorado Springs, where he worked until January 7, 1900. The reason why he gave up all the benefits of the metropolis was the possibility to make lightning of devastating intensity and create conditions that would lead him to the greatest discovery of all time. The discovery happened during the night of July 3-4, 1899...

We invite you to walk into the point in time and together with Tesla experience the moment of the greatest discovery of all time in the field of wireless energy transmission.

Long Island

The famous Tesla Tower and his first failure

In 1900, encouraged by the discovery of his life and funding received from J.P. Morgan, Tesla decided to start the construction of the World Wireless System for energy and signal transmission. Unfortunately, Tesla never managed to finish this project. The reason was the lack of financial resources and the reluctance of the world to perceive the significance of this invention.

After meeting Tesla, you can judge for yourself whether the world today would be ready for this invention...

Futurism

Tesla's view of the future

“The man outside of time”, “unparalleled genius”, “visionary”, “Creator of the future”– these are just some of the epithets that stand next to the name of the great scientist. Unfortunately, a large number of his inventions and ideas never took off. Tesla's view of the world and the future used to fascinate everyone who happened to be around him and no one could remain indifferent when Tesla “painted” the future.

Will he fascinate you too – find out in the next few minutes...

Hotel Room 3327

It is time to take stock

From the moment Tesla came to the United States, hotel rooms were his home. Although one could rather say that he used to live in the laboratories as he would go to hotel rooms only to rest and sleep for a few hours. Tesla arrived at New Yorker Hotel in 1933 and occupied room 3327, where he died a decade later. This room has been turned into a museum and still holds many secrets...

If you come to visit, Tesla, as a true host, will reveal some of the secrets to you.

Find out more about the project

Visit us!

Nikola Tesla Museum
Krunska 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Tel: +381 (0) 11 24 33 886
e-mail: info@tesla-museum.org

Opening hours of the museum:
Tuesday ‒ Sunday: 10.00‒18.00
On Mondays, the museum is closed to visitors.

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