Born in 1917, Arthur C. Clarke stands as one of the pre-eminent authors of science fiction in the 20th century. He had equal stature as a popularizer of the new postwar field of space exploration. Clarke achieved renown, too, as the originator of the idea of geostationary orbits, a concept fundamental to the development of communications satellites.

Coming into his professional prime after World War II, Clarke’s work found multinational appeal as advances in science and technology became central to the Cold War and to an expanding consumer society. He is perhaps most well-known for his collaboration with director Stanley Kubrick on the 1968 film classic "2001: A Space Odyssey."

In recognition of his varied accomplishments, Clarke received numerous awards and honors. In 1984, the Sri Lankan government created the Arthur C. Clarke Centre for Modern Technologies, Sri Lanka, to honor Clarke, a long-time resident of the island. The Centre then established this award bearing Clarke's name.

The Museum acquired Clarke’s personal papers and select memorabilia in 2014.