The Smritivan Earthquake Museum in Bhuj, Gujarat is among seven global contenders to be shortlisted for the Prix Versailles 2024 category of the world’s most beautiful museums. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the structure on August 28, 2022.
The building has two main sections: the museum and the memorial. Here's all you need to know about it.
Built on a plot of 11,500 square metres and divided into seven blocks named “Rebirth”, “Rediscover”, “Restore”, “Rebuild”, “Rethink”, “Relive” and “Renew,” the museum captures Gujarat’s topography, its vulnerabilities to various natural occurrences and the aftermath of the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake, which killed approximately 13,000-20,000 people.
The "Rebirth" block is a 360° immersive theatre where visitors get a glimpse of the ancient human civilisations who prospered in the Kutch region, the ancient trade routes of Gujarat, and the tale of its advancement and resilience.
In "Rediscover," visitors learn about the resilient nature of Kutch, the innovative spirit of Gujarat’s people and the reasons for the multiple natural occurrences in the state. They can engage with interactive models and immersive films, and see the vulnerabilities, adaptations, and resilient responses of people living in an erratic environment.
Moving to the "Restore" section, the tragic events of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake are recounted here. Holograms depict the help that came in from all over the world and the undying efforts of rescue teams to save lives.
Next, the "Rebuild" block gives a comprehensive understanding of the collective process of rebuilding, reconstructing and reviving Gujarat for long-term disaster mitigation. It also presents the immediate rescue and relief activities that followed the earthquake.
In "Rethink," visitors learn about how countries respond to disasters globally. They imbibe preparedness measures through games and interactive activities. The emotional and psychosocial ramifications of post-disaster management are documented in this section through interviews and first-person experiences.
The penultimate block of "Relive" has visitors experiencing the tremors that people felt in the 2001 earthquake realistically. This block houses the "tree of Smritivan" where you can add paper-made petals to the branches as messages.
The final block called "Renew" is where visitors can light a digital flame through touch panels which travel through digital LED walls to the ceiling and form one united light. This section is breathtaking due to the sheer beauty of the projected light.
The memorial to the 13,000 people who perished in the 2001 earthquake takes many forms. For starters, a Miyawaki forest that is home to over 450,000 plants was installed as a living and breathing tribute to the city of Bhuj.
Then, the organisation installed a 1.04-megawatt solar power plant to power the museum and memorial so that the property could be self-sustainable.
With awe-inspiring views of Bhujia Hill's sunrises and sunsets, the memorial also boasts a "sunpoint." Visitors can take in stunning panoramas of the city and check out the intricate carvings and slits pertaining to the lunisolar calendar on the open-air platform.
Lastly, the highlight of the memorial remains the 50 check-dam reservoirs which house the nameplates of the victims. The reservoirs are carefully planned to recharge groundwater levels, thus giving life to the surrounding forests.
Timings: The museum is open from 10 am-6 pm (Tuesdays to Fridays) and 10 am-8 pm on the weekends. The memorial is open from 5 am-11 pm every day.
Tickets: Adults over 12 years old are charged INR 200 for entry to the museum. Children under five years enter for free. Foreign nationals have to pay INR 1000.
The memorial is free to enter from 5 am-9 am. Those arriving between 9 am-11 pm have to pay INR 20.