The work of the late British scientist Stephen Hawking - from seminal papers on theoretical physics to scripts for "The Simpsons" - and objects such as his personalised wheelchairs are to be preserved, the British government said. Hawking, who gained international acclaim for his work on black holes, died in March 2018 aged 76 after spending a lifetime probing the origins of the universe. Under an "Acceptance in Lieu" agreement announced on Wednesday, his vast archive of scientific and personal papers will go to the University Library in Cambridge, where he lived, while the entire contents of his office will be passed to the Science Museum Group.
Sylvia Hui
One of five copies of Professor Stephen Hawking s PhD thesis, Properties of Expanding Universes, which has been acquired by the Science Museum Group, in London, Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Science Museum Group and Cambridge University Library will announce that they have acquired the historic contents of Professor Stephen Hawking s office (going to SMG) and his archive (going to CUL). (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) May 26, 2021 - 5:37 PM
LONDON (AP) â Londonâs Science Museum and the Cambridge University library said Wednesday they have acquired a large collection of items belonging to late physicist Stephen Hawking, from his personalized wheelchairs to landmark papers on theoretical physics and his scripts from his appearance on âThe Simpsons.â
Select items from the office of the late and eminent theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking will go on display at the Science Museum in London next year.
The announcement comes following an acceptance in lieu agreement, which allows families to offset tax, between the Cambridge University Library, the Science Museum Group and the UK Government.
Thanks to this, Professor Hawking s considerable collection of scientific and personal papers will remain in Cambridge in the collections of the university library.
This archive includes correspondence dating from 1944–2008, a first draft of a Brief History of Time and a highlighted script from his first cameo on The Simpsons .