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March 8 – October 13 | Niagara Parks Power Station

It’s hard to imagine life without electricity. How different things would be if we weren’t able to stay connected through wi-fi, listen to our favourite songs on the radio or turn on a light!
 
This new exhibit invites you to step into the life and mind of Nikola Tesla. The pioneer who revolutionized the way we generate, transmit and use electricity. You’ll discover his first encounters with science, learn how he helped to harness the raw power of Niagara Falls for long-distance electricity and his relentless pursuit of innovation shaped modern life as we know it.

Tesla: A Spark of Genius is included with daytime admission to the Niagara Parks Power Station

“My brain is a receiver. In the universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.”
— Nikola Tesla

Along with working models of Tesla’s most impactful inventions, this electrifying exhibit features many rare artifacts including Tesla's top hat, his notes, a model of his childhood home, his lab, and more. Don't miss it!

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Learn More About These Artifacts

  • Induction motor with an egg-shaped rotor

    When Telsa was forced out of the Tesla Electric Light Company in 1886 with nothing but worthless stock, he had to work as a ditch digger and even then, determined to develop his concept of generating electricity through rotating magnetic fields he persevered. But knew he had to find a way to help potential investors understand the potential of his invention.

    He devised this machine to illustrate the concept: an electromagnetic motor that generates the force needed to spin a brass egg and stand it upright. He named it “Egg of Columbus” after the famous story in which Christopher Columbus challenged the Spanish court to stand an egg upright.

    When they failed, he took the egg flatted the bottom, so it stayed upright. They accused Columbus of playing a cheap trick, but he overcame their objections by explaining that “ideas seem impossible until a clever solution in found, at which point, it suddenly becomes easy.”

    This stroke of genius from Tesla, resulted in funding from investors Alfred S. Brown, director of Western Union, and Charles F. Peck, an attorney from New York City. And in 1887, he opened a new laboratory at 89 Liberty Street, where he developed his designs for the A/C induction motor, exactly as he had imagined them.”

  • Letter from Tiffany’s

    Nikola Tesla once designed a fountain for the famous Tiffany’s Department Store, one that would achieve remarkable results with very little water. He hoped that collaborating with Louis Tiffany on an indoor fountain would be profitable, and there was some correspondence between them. Unfortunately, the project materialized. 
     
    Tesla secured a patent for the fountain in 1914, during a period where he was deeply involved in mechanical engineering research while also struggling financially. It was a radical departure from traditional fountain design, offering far greater efficiency, something one might expect from the distinguished engineer. Interestingly, despite never being built, extensive research and numerous drawings exist, demonstrating once again Tesla’s unwavering dedication to his ideas.

Sending Electricity Across Borders

In elementary school, Nikola Tesla saw a picture of Niagara Falls and dreamed of using water to generate power. In 1893, he turned that dream into reality by working on the world’s first hydroelectric power station with George Westinghouse. 
 
At the time, direct current (DC) electricity could only travel 100 yards—just enough to power a lightbulb! Three years later, despite many challenges, the Edward Dean Adams Power Plant, based on Nikola Tesla’s AC power system, was built on the upper Niagara River.   
 
In 1896, the flip of a switch sent the first power surge from Niagara Falls, New York to Buffalo, New York. Today, Tesla’s AC electricity is powering the globe.   

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Tesla Coil

In 1891, under U.S. patents 454,622 and 462, 418, Nikola Tesla protected one of his most important inventions—the oscillatory transformer, today globally recognized as the Tesla Coil.   
 
This revolutionary device not only generated high-frequency electrical currents but also amplified their voltage, paving the way for significant advancements in wireless communication. 

DID YOU KNOW?
In the 1931 movie, Frankenstein, Tesla coils were used to create the iconic visual effects of high-voltage sparks and electricity.

The Induction Motor

Tesla’s induction motor, invented in 1887, revolutionized how we generate and use electrical power.Unlike traditional motors, which relied on direct current (DC), it used alternating current (AC), which is easier to generate and distribute over long distances. Plus, the design was simple—no brushes or commutators—resulting in lower maintenance and greater cost savings.  

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