After Tesla’s death on January 7th 1943, his complete legacy was moved from USA to Belgrade. The former family house of Mr. Genčić at 51 Proleterskih brigada Street was assigned to the Museum, by the decision of the Government Council for Science and Culture, of the Yugoslav Government in 1952. Being built before the Second World War by the famous architect Dragiša Brašovan, it was necessary to adapt the interior living space into an exhibition space intended for a permanent display of the Museum.
Ever since opening to the public on October 20th 1955, a team of electric engineers and archivists, together with Museum employees, have been diligently working on processing on archive material from the legacy. Collecting, protecting and promoting the valuable documentation relating to Nikola Tesla has been the Museum’s mission ever since.
The archival material is classified into following categories: Tesla’s original works, Correspondence, Personal items, Pictures and photographs, Material concerning financial affairs and other material. With constant desire to explore and improve the state of Tesla’s legacy, the Museum has recently reconstructed the conservation laboratory, along with the entire archives, but the entire collection of the Museum has been digitalized and also microfilmed.
Recognizing the universal importance of Nikola Tesla and his creation, UNESCO included Tesla’s archive, as a part of the movable documentary heritage of mankind in the Register "Memory of the World".