In 1904, some farms in the erstwhile Mughal gardens of Shahibag were purchased by Ambalal Sarabhai’s uncle and a small house was built as a second residence for the family. In 1915, the family shifted to Shahibag, enlarged the house and named it “The Retreat”. After the death of Ambalalbhai and his wife Saraladevi, the house and garden were bequeathed to the Sarabhai Foundation.
The space was earlier developed as a botanical garden, with the rich varieties of shrubs and trees planted by Ambalalbhai as its nucleus. The garden has a rich variety of magnificent trees, many of them indigenous, and is home to more than 800 plant species. Other exotic varieties come from different regions and distant lands. The garden is also home to diverse species of wildlife.
The Foundation conducts a garden walk, which we call the Udyana Tour, every Thursday. This guided walk starts at 3:30 p.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m.
Garden Tour Booking
Visitors must pre-register for the tour by filling this online form or calling us on +91–79–22868172 or +91–79–22865995 between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday.
Because of the large number of booking requests we receive, and the limited number of spots per tour, we recommend you plan your visit well ahead of time. We require you to make a booking at least two days prior to your visit.
Children below the age of 10 are not admitted on the garden tour. Children between 10 and 15 are permitted on the walk if accompanied by a parent, guardian or tutor.
For group bookings, please write to us at visit@calicomuseum.org. A maximum of 15 people can be accommodated in a group. Please reach the museum gate by 3:15 p.m. on the day of your visit for check-in formalities. The gate closes at 3:30 p.m. and late entrants cannot be accommodated.
We continue to follow current COVID-19 protocols for the safety of visitors and staff.
Please refer to the Visitor Information page prior to your visit.
Tour booking calendar