The Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum in Bhuj, Gujarat, has been honoured as one of the world’s seven most beautiful museums globally by UNESCO’s Prix Versailles Award for Architecture and Design. Smritivan (Forest of Memories) is the first museum in India to receive international recognition for its adherence to local culture, environmental conservation and sustainable practices. These annual awards honour exceptional architecture and design on a global scale with categories spanning different sectors such as airports, campuses, passenger stations, sports facilities, museums, emporiums, hotels and restaurants.
Situated on the Bhujiyo Dungar (a small hill) on the outskirts of Bhuj and spread over 470 acre, Smritivan is the first earthquake memorial in the country. The site features the world’s largest Miyawaki forest with around 0.5 million trees, 50 check dams adorned with plaques bearing the names of the victims of the 2001 earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, which claimed close to 13,000 lives and affected 890 villages.