Twin Tesla Coils Built for MUNET Science Museum in Mexico City

Way back in 2019, Tesla Universe was selected to build twin Tesla coils for the MUNET Science Museum in Mexico City. The coils were completed and shipped in January 2020, just before the lockdowns began. The project was then placed on hold, and the coils languished in their shipping containers for over four years.

As we were preparing for the Solomun concert, MUNET resurfaced. They reached out to inform us that museum construction had resumed and asked if we could come to set up the coils. We coordinated the jobs so that I traveled directly from Los Angeles to Mexico City.

Although the museum was still under construction, the beautiful Acrylic enclosure for the Tesla coils was complete and ready for installation. I began by inspecting all the parts and was relieved to find everything remained intact as packed over four years ago.

For this job, a special four-button controller, designed and built by Phillip Slawinski, ensured simplicity. Each of the four buttons represents MIDI tracks on an SD card. The idea was that museum attendees could operate the coils like a jukebox. The MIDI tracks were shortened to 20–30-second clips for quick, engaging demonstrations.

The power in Mexico was different from what I’m used to. We specified 240VAC at 20A for each coil, but when I checked the voltage, I saw only 205V. Challenges are inevitable.

Nevertheless, we set up the coils and powered them up. They worked on the first try. However, the current limiter needed adjustment, as the museum’s MIDI files immediately caused racing sparks—uncontrolled electrical discharges—forcing us to shut down the coils.

We tested, tuned, and tweaked, and by the end of the day, both coils were working reliably. The engineers I worked with were highly knowledgeable and eager to help. I trained them to use Logic Pro to normalize their MIDI tracks, preventing the coils from being overdriven. We also set up external switches for the controller that were built into a custom panel on a pedestal in front of the enclosure.

It’s a beautifully designed display, and the enclosure isolates the ozone and dampens the sound from the coils.

Stay tuned for updates on visiting Mexico City’s first public Tesla coil display!

Cameron