Stephen Hawking’s Office will be on Display at The Science Museum in London

The Science Museum honours Professor Stephen Hawking’s 80th birthday by announcing a new display called “Stephen Hawking at Work.” Opening on 10 February, the display will explore the extraordinary working life of the world-renowned scientist as a theoretical physicist, science communicator, and as someone who lived with motor neurone disease and will feature significant objects from his office.

Professor Stephen Hawking in his office at the University of Cambridge (photo source: www.stephenhawkingfoundation.org)

Since his office at the University of Cambridge was the place where much of his research on theoretical physics took place, visitors will get to study up close hundreds of fascinating items like one of only five known copies of Hawking’s PhD thesis, his spectacles, his wheelchair, an invitation to the time travellers’ party he hosted, and most importantly - a blackboard covered in academic jokes, equations, and doodles - one of his most treasured souvenirs from the Superspace and Supergravity conference in 1980, when delegates filled it with witty cartoons about each other. Professor Hawking had it framed and hung in his office, and thanks to the Science Museum’s conservators the chalk dust is stabilised and fully visible today so we can all enjoy it.

Another rarity on show in "Stephen Hawking at Work" will be a photo from the set of Hawking’s guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Hawking was the only person to play themselves in the Star Trek universe and in that episode, a hologram version of him joins a game of poker with Isaac Newton (John Neville), Lt Commander Data (Brent Spiner), and Albert Einstein (Jim Norton).

Sir Ian Blatchford, Chief Executive and Director of the Science Museum Group, said: "Stephen Hawking had a lifelong relationship with the Science Museum - from visiting as a child to receiving a museum Fellowship for his contributions to science - so I’m thrilled we are placing objects from his office, a hub of scientific debate and discovery, on display for the first time."

After the London display ends in June 2022, “Stephen Hawking at Work” will be on tour, opening next at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, then at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and other locations belonging to the Science Museum Group.

Stephen Hawking at Work will be on display at 📍 The Science Museum in London

📅 10 February – 12 June 2022

🎫 You must book a Free Museum Admission ticket from here. Visit sciencemuseum.org.uk/stephen-hawking for more details.