Location : Near Paldi at the west end of Sardar Bridge

Established : 1954

Significance : Offers interesting study of Modernist Architecture

Tourism is Gujarat is flourishing as people from all over the world visit this state. Several monuments, museums and forts are accountable for the prosperity of this state in the western part of the country. Sanskar Kendra is one such great museum at Ahmedabad. It is a visual treat for lovers of architecture as it was designed by an amazing French architect named Le Corbusier. The city museum showcases art, history, culture and architecture in varied forms. The campus is located near Paldi at the west end of Sardar Bridge and it lies close to the renowned Tagore Hall near the National Institute of Design.

The main idea behind building this museum was to nurture a place to protect and promote the culture and community of Ahmedabad. This museum therefore celebrates the heritage of Ahmedabad and the living spirit of the city’s residents. It is maintained by the Vastu Shilpa Foundation, which is working hard to preserve the architecture of this city museum. Visitors get to see sculptures, relics and history of Gujarat at the museum in the form of textual, photographic and illustrated panels.

The Kite Museum designed by Bhanu Shah is also a part of the Sanskar Kendra. It has a great collection of kites, photographs and illustrations.

History

The museum came into existence on 9th April, 1954 and it was designed by Le Corbusier. The museum has a Modernist design. When it was being designed by the French architect, it was named Museum of Knowledge. At this time, it was a part of the Cultural Centre of Ahmedabad and was meant to include separate pavilions for different subjects. The museum was to include areas such as natural history, anthropology and archeology. The centre also included depots for workshops, monumental sculptures and an open air theatre for folk performances. The theatre pavilion was lovingly named Miracle Box. While the entire cultural centre was well-planned, only the museum was actually built.

Salient Features of the Museum

Modernist Architecture

The museum rests on 3.4 metre high pilots. The outer surface of this building is made from plain brick with elements of raw concrete structure. This structure is 7 metres high. The design of the building protects it from the hot climate of Gujarat. There are large basins on the roof. There is an open court, large pool and ramp at the entrance of the building. The interior has plastered finishing.

Collections

Tourists will see history in its true form at this museum be it the struggle for independence, pages from the life of Mahatma Gandhi or other religious communities of Ahmedabad that existed then. It has the world’s tallest incense stick that is 4.5 m high. The museum also houses the foundation block of Ellis Bridge.

Sections

Sanskar Kendra has become a particularly important place for its display of historical objects. There are many ancient coins, photos, maps and etchings in the museum. These make a good reading of the history of India. Gujarat is a commercial state and this museum depicts that with its collection of power looms, share certificates and cloth labels. Some rare maps and photographs also showcase the freedom for struggle, of which Gujarat was a centre place.

There are many works of ancient and contemporary arts on display at Sanskar Kedra. The textile craft of Gujarat is depicted with a collection of brocade work, mushroom and block printing samples.

Gujarati Literature also finds reputable place at this museum. There are many ancient manuscripts seen here. There are also elements to display the many religions that are found in Gujarat such as Vaishnav, Jain, Parsi, Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Information for the Visitors

Timing: The museum remains closed on Mondays only. It is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays.