Science

The Tesla Museum Is On: Internet Raises Funds to Buy Property and Then Some

Funds to Buy Teslas Wardenclyffe Museum Property Raised, Additional Money Will Go Toward Renovation

(Image: Wikimedia)

Last week, TheBlaze reported one man was trying to help raise the funds buy Nikola Tesla’s Wardenclyffe lab and turn it into a historically protected museum — instead of a piece of retail land. He had 45 days to raise $850,000, which New York state said it would match to buy the $1.6 plot of land, and exceeded his goal within six days.

Matthew Inman, a cartoonist who runs the blog The Oatmeal, said last week it was a shame there was not a museum for “the greatest geek who ever lived.” He went on to provide a full on commentary on to the merits and contributions of Tesla to solicit donations to the cause.

Now, with 37 days left to fund the project, Inman’s efforts have helped raise more than $1 million. Inman told Fox News he considered stopping fundraising for the project after the goal to purchase the Shoreham, New York, property had been met but decided to keep the fundraiser going to put additional funds toward renovating the building and grounds.

Inman writes on his blog that the property itself is “a bit of a mess” and needs to be cleaned and restored before there is an operational museum. Although, he does write that he would “love to have some kind of Nikola Tesla festival on the property on July 10th of 2013 (Nikola Tesla Day), and have some kind of zany Tesla-coil-BBQ-cookout.”

The broader context of Inman’s success at helping raise the funds for the Nikola Tesla Science Center though is the rallying of the Internet community behind a cause. TheBlaze has reported on several Kickstarter projects before that have been funded in this manner (Inman did not use Kickstarter as that crowd-fundraising website doesn’t include charities).

“I love the idea that crowd funding and the Internet in general has leveled the playing field for projects who want to gain momentum,” Inman told FoxNews.com. “If you’ve got an awesome idea, you don’t need to be well-connected or successful to make it explode.”

Funds to Buy Teslas Wardenclyffe Museum Property Raised, Additional Money Will Go Toward Renovation

For sale sign on the property that is the grounds to Telsa's old lab. (Photo: The Oatmeal)

One project that is using Kickstarter and is Tesla related is by a group hoping to make a documentary on the scientist. “‘Electricity’ the Life Story of Nikola Tesla” would be a “docudrama” made for TV that would tell ”a story about the importance of one man and his many technological gifts to the world, and how his name and legacy were removed from America’s history.”

Watch this film about the project:

The group has raised more than $7,000 of their $35,000 goal so far, with 16 days to go. Funds collected for the docudrama would be used for production.

Read more about the fundraising project for the Tesla museum here. Check out the docudrama that is trying to get a Tesla story off the ground here.

Comments (43)

  • woodcellar
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:09pm

    If they must do it do it without the state. Raise enough so the state is not involve or bulldoze it.

    Report Post »  
  • Mr Sanders
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:10pm

    I’m there! Count me in!!!!!

    I hope they plan to power the facility with Tesla Tech!! Hey! Maybe they can contribute back to the grid?!

    Report Post » Mr Sanders  
  • Sheriff Joe Rocks
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 4:57pm

    Tesla was the inventor of AC power and the radio………….he got shut down because he was building a machine to offer free energy to the world, and he didn’t care about money. Of course it’s difficult to make money from free energy right?
    That’s the real reason they shut him down….

    Report Post »  
    • roostercogburn
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:14pm

      It’s a shame his papers , just went away, probably the government, he died broke in a hotel room, he brought us AC, and 3 phase AC, as an electrical engineer I am impressed at what he did so long ago.

      Report Post » roostercogburn  
    • ep8568
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 10:43pm

      We would have that magical electricity now if it were EVER possible. Collusion and conspiracy are enticing theories, but it simply takes work to move electrons from where they are in a stable state.

      Report Post »  
  • RealB
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 4:32pm

    Although I applaud this article, as I think it brings a deserved focus on a great American innovator, I am challenged by the title: “The Tesla Museum is On: Internet Raises Funds to Buy Property and Then Some.” I submit that a more appropriate headline would have been: “Tesla Museum Land Dream is Almost Reality: Private Donors Better Than Halfway to Goal.”

    The fact is, this particular fundraising for this museum land in Shoreham, relies on half of the purchase money being forcibly taken from the citizens of the state of New York, either through direct taxation or through loans. The latter of which may linger for decades and balloon the true cost enormously.

    The bottom line is, I argue that the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe has not honestly reached their admirable goal at all yet. Obtaining “matching funds” (hugely problematic in the nation and states for decades) by way of politicians is not indicative of a self reliant people, is financially irresponsible, and in the long run, it’s immoral. It is my humble assertion, that it’s also not in keeping with the “wisdom of the ages” that Glenn is desperately trying to pass to Americans today.

    Just so you know I really love history museums AND I really love the private initiative shown by Matthew Inman and donors, but it’s imperative we change our mindset as a country that just because YOU want (or like) something, you get to pay for it with OPM (aka “Other Peoples Money”). Many Americans are unfort

    Report Post »  
    • BryanB
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 5:11pm

      Tax Money is used so the State of New York will take over the museum once the deal go’s through.

      I’ve seen the same thing done here in Florida, they sucker the State in with private Money, and when the private Money dries up, the Museum and it’s Trustees, will start crying, Were Poor, Were Poor. Oh Please !!!! Oh Please !!!! State of New York, Come Bail Us Out, You can even take over the Museum and Run it, as long as all the Trustees can sit on the Board and collect Six Figure Salaries from the State for life……..

      Report Post » BryanB  
    • RealB
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:01pm

      An excellent insight. What a scheme it is huh? Endless possibilities for ripping off your neighbor.

      I think Beck is absolutely correct when he said this past week that it really comes to down having ‘freedom or free stuff.’ We are in the process of choosing that fork in the road right at this very moment.

      At any rate, this sort of reckless financial behavior is bound to happen when people can vote to take OPM, no one bats an eye.

      We need to start demanding that all government expenses (at all levels of government) be put on ‘pay as you’ terms (aka COD). No more borrowing allowed. Once citizens see the effects of direct taxation to pay for what would they “want” or “like” to put on the backs of others, the pressure will be much greater on the politicians to stop the insanity..

      Bottom line. America must give up it’s addiction to OPM – or face certain financial collapse.

      Report Post »  
  • reality based lifeform
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 3:18pm

    Chet Hempstead wrote ” in Tesla’s wireless transmission, which even if he had gotten it to work, would probably have had hellish health and environmental consequences if utilized on the scale he proposed. ”
    Do you have any idea what you are even talking about? Tesla make it work for both communication and electric power transmission ! Wireless radio transmission has been in use since Tesla invented it without the dire consequences you descibe . Am , Fm ,
    Short wave , citizens band , cell phone ,wireless internet , microwave , etc , signals are transmitted all over the world virtually every hour of every day .

    “

    Report Post »  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 4:41am

      I’m talking about Tesla’s dream of wireless electrical transmission replacing transmission by wire. I’m talking about the daft notion that you could send millions of volts through the air from Niagara Falls to Long Island and run an electrical system that way. It was a stupid idea, and he wasted decades on it, because he had degenerated from being a guy who was so brilliant that he didn’t need to do the math to know something would work to being a guy who was just too stubborn to do the math to see that something wouldn’t work.

      Report Post »  
  • wtm
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 3:11pm

    Tesla got shut down for producing free electricity. Check out Stanley Meyers on you tube. he got shut down also. He showed congress how to produce HHO GAS in the 80′s (running cars from converted water) then elected officials stared buying water rights all over the county.

    Report Post »  
  • wtm
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 3:05pm

    tesla got shut down for producing free electricity. check out HHO GAS on you tube Stanly Meyers showed congress how to run cars off water decades ago, and then elected officials started buying all the water rights in the country. there is currently a guy converting hummers for the pentagon. both were reported by Fox news years ago. of course there was never any followup story.

    Report Post »  
  • jcvillar
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 2:06pm

    It’s about time, that property out on Long Island has just been allowed to degrade for so long. It’s got grafitti all over it.

    Report Post »  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Tesla is awesome. I saw them open for Def Leppard in 1987.

    Report Post » Eastinfection  
  • Truth4SureNuff
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 11:40am

    Tesla was brilliant, the Banksters shut him down

    Report Post »  
  • TheLastPlainsman
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:31am

    I would love to see Tesla Museum set up where he did a majority of his work, but this isn’t the only or first. There is already a Tesla Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Anyone who knows anything about Tesla knows that at one point George Westinghouse- yes, THE Westinghouse- helped Tesla set up an lab just east of The Springs. Neat little place, I have been there

    Report Post »  
  • lessoneleg
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:05am

    that property and the Tesla significance to the whole world should be honoured befitting to what Tesla gave to the world and generations to come. That property should be a National Treasure, and reconstructed to the value to which every man, woman, and child enjoys from the rich discoveries that Tesla gave to us all.
    Look at all the discoveries that he made, and patented, for future generations to use. The list is nearly endless. Thomas Edison, gave a lot, but Tesla made Edison look like a minor leaguer suiting up for relief pitcing in the Major Leagues.
    Every time a person turns on that A/C, light switch, pump, etc. Testa’s magic happens.

    Report Post » lessoneleg  
  • BryanB
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:33am

    I know of no one that has money for this kind of stuff.

    Why doesn’t Mr.Inman try taking the money that he’s raised, and donating to something like The Salvation Army, or some other origination that will do some good.

    Pray for Jett………………………………

    Report Post » BryanB  
    • Angel_light
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:54am

      Well it appears to me that this is a dream he feels is worth living out. I think it’s very cool that he wants to preserve an important piece of history so people can learn about a very smart man and remember our history. what better place for a museum honoring Tesla than his own lab that he worked in so many years ago? I will make an effort to visit some day when it is up and running

      Report Post » Angel_light  
    • Locked
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:08am

      The same argument could easily be made for the Creation Museum, Bryan. It’s not your money: why are you passing moral judgments on how it is spent?

      For that matter, why haven’t YOU raised over a million dollars for the Salvation Army? Why do you need to come down on someone who actually thought of a worthy, popular cause and decry it? That’s something the Occupy crowd would do: belittle the accomplishments of others, while not lifting a finger themselves. I hope you can see the hypocrisy of your words.

      Report Post »  
    • BryanB
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 11:11am

      If people want to waste their Money on crap like this, more power too them. And I don’t care what kinda museum it is.

      As far as I’m concerned, they could take everything in the Smithsonian, and have a Big Yard Sale.

      It’s only a bunch of Stuff……..

      Report Post » BryanB  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 12:25pm

      BryanB
      Really? You want to sell the Star-Spangled Banner and the Apollo 11 command module? The country may be broke, but I hope we’re never that broke. How about all the paintings in the National Gallery? Art isn’t just a bunch of Stuff. I don’t know if you appreciate art, but isn’t it better to have a museum for it than to sell it to some rich dude so only his friends can see it?

      Report Post »  
    • BryanB
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 3:37pm

      @Chet Hempstead

      Would you rather have your Freedom or a bunch of Stuff ????

      Besides we could put Apollo 11 in a Public Park somewhere, Kids could play on it in the day time, and homeless people could sleep in it at night……..

      Report Post » BryanB  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:25am

    Don’t confuse Contentedness for the same thing as having been settled on you lore and achievements.

    Report Post »  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:21am

    “Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.” – Thomas Edison.
    I think Edison means that himself would feel like a failure if Edison himself was content. Surely a happily contented man leads others on to jealousy. The only man who despises contentedness is a man who doesn’t have the Lord God, because a content man is a threat to another man’s lust for security.

    Report Post »  
  • JOE
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:17am

    We in the usa celebrate ********……but when it comes to GREATNESS we turn a blind eye ………..
    GET READY WE will have a Obama street in every city and town just for him being not for what he has done!!!!! FIGURE THAT……..

    Report Post » JOE  
    • QuincySmith
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 11:35am

      I’m looking for Hoover and Carter streets….don’t seem to find any. Hooverville is a derogatory term, and oblama falls below these two presidential mistakes.

      Report Post » QuincySmith  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 11:54am

      There are 53 schools named for Herbert Hoover as well as the Hoover Dam, the Hoover Building in Washington which houses the Department of Commerce, and a Hoover Tower at Stanford University. There are two streets, two schools, an airport and a submarine named for Carter.

      Report Post »  
  • ObserverOnTheHill
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:55am

    It was his genius that gave us the technology used in HAARP. The government immediately shuttered his lab and impounded (stole) all his papers and work upon his death and to this day has not allowed the public to benefit from it. Instead it is being used in “black” projects for military applications

    Report Post »  
  • randy
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:39am

    Just another liberal asking for handouts….

    Sorry Matthew Inman, don’t agree with your views after checking out some of your amateur cartoons.
    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/religion
    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/rapture

    Report Post » randy  
    • kowdung
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:00am

      Yes, I read those cartoons. The majority of people are a sad lot these days.

      Report Post »  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:01am

      Yes but, he (Tesla) did p!ss-off the Rockefellers, Westinghouse, and Edison. Those are enough good deeds for me to back Inman.

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
    • guz75
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:03am

      Truth hurts!!! Very funny cartoons.

      Report Post »  
    • HOOT_OWL
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:54am

      Randy ….You got right. But your being to nice ..
      It’s a shame he succeeded.. It will probably be used now for some
      ‘educationa and indoctrination tool on children,that will be in line
      with the Atheist agenda…This little man is a hate filled bigot and
      like many other militant atheist, he’s on a mission to undermine ‘
      one of our rights….“ freedom of religion’.. This guy is spewing
      nothing but garbage and he will continue to push this drivel on
      anyone that will lend him an ear.. He will probably have’ busloads
      of children going though this place on field-trips‘. He will ‘indoctrinate
      our children every chance he gets‘… I wonder how many people were
      aware of this man and his mission..? On a side note.. what a coward
      This dweeb is, while spewing this tripe ..He doesn’t have a problem
      Mocking and making bigoted comments about people that believe in
      The God of the Bible ..But This POS doesn’t have the b4$$ to poke fun
      of Islam its followers. All he does is make one vague reference to it.
      I wouldn’t have given this guy a red cent .Nobody has cared about it this
      place for over a century .it’s a shame they didn’t turn this place into a
      parking lot ..and then hang a plaque, like they do to everywhere else..
      This guy and his ilk probably acquired the money for this land-mark,
      full well knowing the indoctrination capabilities that can be accomplished
      there.
      _______

      And GUZ75…Go flock yourself you commie

      Report Post » HOOT_OWL  
    • The_Cabrito_Goat
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 11:02am

      An intelligent discussion on theoatmeal.com must be against the rules.

      Report Post » The_Cabrito_Goat  
  • Locked
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:33am

    Pretty neat, I‘d go if I’m ever in the area. From all I’ve read about Tesla (and this was years ago), it seems like Edison completely screwed him over and stole all of his best ideas. It’s said that Tesla was the mad (but brilliant) inventor, and Edison was the unscrupulous (but gifted) businessman who marketed all the inventions as his own.

    Report Post »  
    • Polarized America
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:03am

      In 1885 Tesla claimed that he could redesign Edison’s inefficient motor and generators, making an improvement in both service and economy.
      According to Tesla, Edison remarked “There’s fifty thousand dollars in it for you—if you can do it”
      After months of work, Tesla finally finished the task and inquired about payment.
      Edison claimed he had been only joking and replied, “Tesla, you don’t understand our

      “”“American humor””"………………..((.so much for making a deal with a hand shake .))

      Report Post »  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:42am

      Was Tesla “mad” or was he an “idiot savant” or more commonly known now as a “Savant” (who often are Autistic to some degree–brilliant, almost “clarvoyant,” and someone anti-social due to “specialization” in other areas of their brain.

      Brilliant scientists who was way ahead of his time!

      I don’t agree with the “Oatmeal” position on other things however. . .

      Report Post »  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 12:11pm

      He wasn’t mad, except near the end of his life, and he wasn’t an idiot savant, he was a true scientist, who in his prime could work out a complex theory or design in his head with enough efficiency to bypass much of the experimentation another scientist would need to perform. He was like his hated rival Edison in that after years of amazing productivity they both got bogged down in trying to make a bad idea work – in Edison’s case running a full-scale power grid on DC, in Tesla’s wireless transmission, which even if he had gotten it to work, would probably have had hellish health and environmental consequences if utilized on the scale he proposed.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:29am

    Glad to see it coming along; the fact is Tesla should be recognized as a true figure of American sciene on par with so many others of our nations history.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  

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