Smritivan

Smritivan, ‘forest of memory’ — India’s largest memorial-museum inaugurated by Prime Minister of India is a living testament to human resilience and constant change.The museum is an experiential journey along the learnings and memories of the devastating 2001 Gujarat earthquake and has got over a lac of visitors in just 100 days of it’s opening.The museum storyline evolved into 7 blocks: Rebirth, Rediscover,Restore,Rebuild,Rethink and Relive.The museum design is a confluence of local crafts in contemporary design language; with intermittent points of wonder, pause, reflection and curiosity.Interspersed with over hundred unique installations and special experiences,the museum is a space for remembrance, reconciliation and rediscovery.

Narrative design development took shape based on intensive continuous research rooted in ethnography, literature review and archival data, spanning several weeks documenting Kutch’s landscape and communities.The responsibility to present sensitive personal and complex stories of the earthquake and beyond, to evoke varied emotions was a creative challenge and opportunity. Drawing from geological sciences, archaeology, seismology and disaster management, the exhibit design is informative and educative for all age groups through interaction. Rooted in interpretation and live experiments,Smritivan is a living space for visitors.

The scenography and installations have emerged from the rich local living traditions and crafts of Kutch region, with a fresh approach to create contextually-rooted exhibit spaces.Textile crafts like applique, block printing and weaving were used in innovative forms in collaboration with local master craftspersons,who co-created the largest ever narrative-based artworks of their repertoire. All bespoke installations and narrative elements were custom-designed and fabricated in India, following iterative experimentation and prototyping.

Across the 27 galleries, moving images, experiments in transience and kinetic installations showcase the constantly moving, evolutionary nature of life around us. Additionally, open-to-sky courtyards and breakout spaces are breather spaces to counter museum fatigue.Smritivan’s highlights include a digital homage to quake victims, an archive of personal stories and a large-scale simulator with 360 degree projections.Each visitor’s digital homage collects into a bright beam of light emitted from the museum night.To animate the museum experience; live actors, ushers and craftspersons bring the museum journey alive,creating a memorable experience.