Nikola Tesla, regarded by many as the true Father of Electricity, would have been 158 years old today. His contributions to the field of electricity and science are well-documented and even more than 70 years after his death, he's still a household name that manages to capture headlines.
Today just isn't any old birthday, however.
Nearly two years ago, Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal fame launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise enough money to buy Nikola Tesla's old laboratory and ultimately turn it into a museum. The campaign generated more than $1.3 million - far more than the original $850,000 goal - and a year later, the laboratory was purchased.
Saving a plot of land and an old building is one thing. Building a modern-day museum is an entirely different beast - a beast that will cost around $8 million to realize.
Fast-forward to May 2014. Inman reached out to Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk on Twitter and asked him to help with the project. In a reply the following day, Musk said he would be happy to help but didn't disclose exactly what he had planned - until today.
In a blog post on the matter, Inman said he recently spoke with Musk over the phone. The executive pledged $1 million to help in the development and construction of the museum. Furthermore, Musk also promised to install a Tesla Supercharger in the parking lot of the museum.
Musk's cash doesn't quite get them to the $8 million goal but it's a solid start.
