Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum

The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum is a municipal museum operated by the Surat Municipal Corporation, now located in the Science Centre complex on City Light Road, Surat, Gujarat. It was relocated in 2009 from its earlier site in the Chowk Bazaar area after flood damage, a reference to the severe Tapi floods that affected Surat's old city. The museum is named for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Gujarat-born leader of the independence movement and India's first Deputy Prime Minister, who is a major regional figure of the twentieth century.

The museum is a civic and regional history museum rather than a single-subject biography. Its galleries present the story of Surat and its surrounding region, including archaeological finds, historic objects, textiles, coins, manuscripts and artefacts that illustrate local trade, craft and cultural life. Displays also reflect the city's role in the independence struggle and its links to Gujarat's wider political history. The curatorial approach is broadly thematic and chronological, using showcase displays supported by explanatory labels.

The move to the Science Centre complex placed the museum alongside other municipal attractions, so a visit can be combined with the science galleries and the Khoj Museum on the same campus. The building is modern in character, in contrast to the historic site it left behind, and the collection has been rearranged to suit the new premises. Preservation depends on the municipality, and the conditions are those of a standard municipal museum. Admission is reported at about Rs 20 for adults and Rs 10 for children (US$0.21 and US$0.10), although sources conflict, and opening is reported Tuesday to Sunday with hours that differ between listings. Visitors can confirm details by phone on 0261 2255946.