Tesla Science Center breaks ground on visitor center

Nearly two years ago, a fire devastated the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham. It tore through the roof of the lab, destroyed 20th-century steel girders, caused over $3 million in damage and was thought to possibly have been caused by contractors using blowtorches. Although not on the laboratory, movement is once again happening on the grounds.

Renovations started on another existing building on the Wardenclyffe property that will eventually house the new Eugene Sayan Visitor Center, according to a recent newsletter. Construction is expected to be completed by early summer 2026, and the center will be open on Fridays and Saturdays. As announced back in 2023, the visitor center project was funded by donations from Softheon CEO Eugene Sayan, the Ludwick Foundation, National Grid, Suffolk County, New York State Economic Development and others.

“At its heart, Tesla Science Center is dedicated to preserving Nikola Tesla’s past, present and future legacy,” interim executive director Douglas Borge said in a release. “This visitor center will help us live that mission every day. It is one step on the journey, and we are so grateful to everyone who has made it possible.”

The new center will have 2,200 square feet of indoor space and outdoor areas, and will provide opportunities for expanded programming, including historical tours and docent training that follow Smithsonian standards. Also, it will help the growth of STEAM programs — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — for community schools, libraries and events. 

There will also be an exhibition and preservation space for archives and artifacts, which will be the center’s first. Administrative offices will be there to try to reduce operating costs and direct more resources to programs and further restoration. Above all, it will act as a consistent place for members and visitors to connect with Nikola Tesla’s story. 

In spring 2023, the nonprofit foundation that runs the science center began work on a $20 million project to preserve Tesla’s last remaining laboratory and redevelop the 16-acre property into a world-class science center. The foundation had then raised $14 million toward the $20 million goal — including $1 million from Elon Musk, who named his company after the inventor — when the project got underway. The site was also added to the U.S. National Historic Register in 2018.