A brief history of Hawking: Contents of famed astrophysicist's office - from his wheelchairs to bets signed with a thumbprint and Simpsons trinkets - will go on display at London's Science Museum after being gifted to nation

• An agreement has been reached over the future of the physicist's belongings
• Professor Hawking's personal and scientific papers will remain in Cambridge
• And the contents of his office will join the collections of the Science MuseumSelect 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'. 

  The contents of his office at Cambridge's Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, meanwhile, will join the collections of the Science Museum. 

  Among the items being preserved are Professor Hawking's personal wheelchairs — which he needed due to motor neuron disease — and communication equipment.

  Other objects saved include his personal reference library, scientific bets signed with his thumbprint, PhD thesis, medals and memorabilia from his remarkable life.

  Hawking died in 2018 at the age of 76. 

  

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  Select items from the office of the late and eminent theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, pictured, will go on display at the Science Museum in London next year

  

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  The announcement comes following an acceptance in lieu agreement between the Cambridge University Library, the Science Museum Group and the UK Government. Pictured: items being preserved include Professor Hawking's personalised wheelchairs (as left) and a highlighted script from his first appearance on 'The Simpsons' (right)

  

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  'They Saved Lisa's Brain' is the twenty-second episode of The Simpsons' tenth season. ... It featured the first official appearance of Lindsey Naegle and was the first episode in which theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking guest-starred as himself

  'By preserving Stephen’s office and its historic contents […], future generations will be able to delve deep into the world of a world-leading theoretical physicist,' said Science Museum Group director Sir Ian Blatchford.

  Professor Hawking, he added, 'defied the laws of medicine to rewrite the laws of physics and touch the heart of millions.'

  'These remarkable items might even inspire the next Professor Hawking to wonder about the world around us.' 

  

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  Pictured: a typed bet, signed with a thumbprint, between Professor Hawking and his colleagues John Preskill and Kip Thorne, dating to September 24, 1991

  The Cambridge archive contains letters dating from 1944 to 2008, a first draft of his book A Brief History Of Time, film and TV scripts, and autographed scientific manuscripts from the early phase of his career.

  There is also a large collection of photographs, papers and correspondence showing how he communicated with popes, US presidents and leading scientists of the age, including Nobel Prize winners Kip Thorne and Roger Penrose.

  Cambridge's acquisition of the 10,000-page archive means Prof Hawking's papers join those of Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

  This brings all three archives together under one roof at Cambridge University Library, where they will be freely accessible to the scientists of tomorrow.