Nikola Tesla couldn’t have asked for a better 158th birthday present. Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla Motors, has pledged $1 million to help finance the Nikola Tesla Science Center in New York.
The science center is actually the dream of TheOatmeal.com cartoonist Matthew Inman, who has been leading a fundraising drive. According to TIME, the center is using the building in Shoreham, New York that the inventor used for his last laboratory.
According to the Jane Alcorn, the president of the science center, Musk pledged $1 million and will also build a Tesla supercharging station at the site, known as Wardenclyffe.
“He has challenged us at the Center to use our resources wisely, find additional resources, and reach our goal of creating this museum,” Alcorn said. “We are excited and extremely grateful for Mr. Musk’s generous gift to Tesla Science Center, and also to Matthew Inman for arranging the opportunity.”
Inman also thanked Musk in a blog post.
While $1 million may sound like a lot, it only scratches the surface of how much Inman and the science center will need before it opens. According to PCMag.com, Inman said that another $8 million is needed to refurbish the site.
image courtesy of Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com