Technical Museum Nikola Tesla

The Nikola Tesla Technical Museum is the main technology museum in Croatia, set on Savska Street in Zagreb, a short walk from the lower town, and it is one of the best places in the city for families and for anyone with an interest in science and engineering. It is named after Nikola Tesla, the inventor born in a village in Lika in 1856, who became famous for his work on alternating current electricity, and the museum includes a section devoted to his life and discoveries. It opened in 1963, in a purpose-built building designed by the architect Marijan Haberl, on the initiative of the city of Zagreb and with the vision of the chemist Božo Težak, who wanted a museum that would be a school of science as well as a collection of objects.

That idea of a place for learning is visible throughout. The museum holds a very large collection, with several thousand items, covering the history of technology and natural sciences: vintage cars and motorcycles, aircraft, locomotives and railway equipment, agricultural machines, early radios and telephones, clocks, scientific instruments and models of ships and factories. Many items are displayed so that visitors can see how they work, and in some sections, there are demonstrations or interactive exhibits. A particularly popular feature is a reconstructed mine, reached by a short tour underground, which shows how coal was extracted, and it is a memorable experience for children.

The Tesla room shows models of his main inventions and explains the principles behind them, with working demonstrations of effects such as electric discharges and rotating fields, which give a sense of what his public lectures must have been like. The museum also has a planetarium, where presentations of the night sky and astronomy lectures are held, usually in Croatian, so check the programme for any in other languages. The combination of historic objects and science education makes it a favourite for school groups and families.

The museum is open on weekdays and for a shorter period at weekends, and it is closed on certain days, including public holidays, so check before you go. Admission arrangements and ticket prices vary, and some parts, such as the planetarium and the mine tour, may have separate tickets. A visit takes two to three hours, and more if you attend a show. In recent years, the museum has attracted a large number of visitors, which shows its popularity among residents and tourists alike.

It is near the Zagreb Fair and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and it is reached by tram. The museum suits families with children, school groups, science and technology enthusiasts and anyone who wants a rainy-day activity in the capital.