A COLLECTION of incredible objects from the office of one of history’s most famous scientists will be unveiled in Bradford tomorrow.
People from across the district can see the exciting display – titled Stephen Hawking at Work – at the National Science and Media Museum.
The exhibition, which is free to attend, celebrates Hawking’s life and career and features an array of fascinating items which belonged to him.
These include his wheelchair, a rare copy of his PhD thesis and even a Simpsons-themed jacket given to him after his guest appearances on the show.
“This is a unique opportunity to see 15 objects that surrounded Hawking in his office,” said exhibition curator Juan-Andres Leon.
“Hawking’s ideas had a wider reach than most scientists. He had a great sense of humour and made many media appearances.
“With this exhibition, we try not to overwhelm the audience, but explain Hawking’s contributions in a concise way.”
Hawking’s family donated the objects after his death in 2018, and they were then allocated to the Science Museum Group, which the Media Museum is part of.
The exhibition is on a national tour, and the Bradford display has been subtly tailored to a local audience.
“The exhibition is the same everywhere, but it does try to take to the strengths of each place,” Juan-Andres explained.
“For example, Hawking’s media profile is of interest to Bradford, due to it being the City of Culture – that should match well with what Bradford offers,” said Juan-Andres.
Juan-Andres, who is originally from Colombia, first became interested in Hawking at the age of 10, and learned more about his work after going on to study physics.
“He had a playful approach to science – this exhibition doesn’t have to be solemn or serious, if you prefer to laugh, that’s okay," he said.
“Life isn’t easy, there are a lot of challenges, but you can still have fun - that’s the feeling we want to convey with this.”
Lucy Hawking, Stephen’s daughter, said: “It’s wonderful to see items from my father's office brought together at the National Science and Media Museum.
“Dad’s office was such a unique and fascinating environment, and I hope this display might inspire some scientists of the future.”
Global audiences can explore hundreds of remarkable items from Hawking’s working life as more than 700 items have now been catalogued, photographed and published on the Science Museum Group's popular online collection.
For more information, visit: www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/whats-on/stephen-hawking-work
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