Personal belongings, correspodence, instruments

In the next, second room, separated from the first by a glass showcase, Tesla's selected personal belongings exsibited are most characteristic for his exceptional personality, his way of life and his relations with other people. The glass showcase contains his hat, cane, and suitcase, as well as different objects for everyday use, such as an embroidered bag from his native country, made by his mother Djuka, his most cherised souvenir throughout his life.


Among the selected exhibited document, on the right hand side there is a photocopy of the letter Tesla wrote to consul Jankoviæ in 1934. In The letter he expresses his gratitude to Mihajlo Pupin thanks to whose initiative several big American companies gave a donation for establishing a fund to support Tesla. He resolutely refuses any such help, firm in his decision to live in the modest means he receives from Yugoslavia.

Here are Tesla's most characteristic words:

"I don't need help but difficulties. The harder the better. I work the best when in trouble."

At that time Tesla was almost 80.

Tesla's closest friends were writers and artists.

In Tesla's laboratory there are two photographs, one of the American writer Mark Twain and the other of R.A. Jonson, who adapted several poems of the Serbian poet Jovan Jovanoviæ Zmaj translated into English by Tesla.

Tesla's devotion to his native country is best illustrated in his letter to the Americans of Yugoslav origin, in which he reminds them of execution of the innocent pupils by the duty towards their native country.

Belgrade newspapers recorded Tesla's visit to Belgrade in 1882; those paper are exhibited as well as the letters the writer Laza Kostiæ wrote to Tesla. In a separate glass showcase one can see the preserved photographs of Tesla's closets relatives: his father Milutin, his sisters (Marica, Angelina and Milka), his uncle Nikola and his great grandfather Toma.

The document connected with Tesla's death and funeral in New York (1943) are exhibited in the last glass showcase.

Prelaz u trecu sobu Vracanje u prvu sobu Odlazak na ulaz