Nikola Tesla Memorial Centre Northern Dalmatia

It's extraordinary to think that one of the greatest minds of the modern world came from such a peaceful and obscure place as the tiny village of Smiljan, 5km west of Gospić. Yet it was here that Nikola Tesla – the man responsible for bringing electricity into our homes and inventing wireless technology – was born. This fascinating museum includes displays about his life and working replicas of some of his most famous inventions. Tesla's father was a Serbian Orthodox priest and, sadly, the family house, barn and church on this site were torched during the 1990s war. What stands here today is a reconstruction, financed by the Croatian government.