Introducing Stephen Hawking's Office
An introductory tour of the main types of objects found in Stephen Hawking's office.
Stephen Hawking was one of the most influential scientists of our generation, and the most famous. In his work he explored the origins and fate of the universe and revealed new insights about black holes: objects with such strong gravity that not even light can escape them.
The objects Hawking collected during his long career help paint a picture of his working life and personality. His office library traces his ambitious attempts to create a complete theory of the universe. Evolving communication equipment shows how he and his team adapted to his changing needs as motor neurone disease increasingly affected his speech and movement. He also kept many mementos of his public and celebrity appearances.
Hawking spent most of his career in Cambridge. His office was a hive of activity, a place for debate and discussion, and the centre of his global network. In May 2021 the Science Museum Group acquired the contents of Stephen Hawking's office from Cambridge University. Everything from his personal reference library, innovative wheelchairs and communications equipment, medals, memorabilia and even the office furniture have joined the Science Museum Group collection.