The Patna Museum houses a significant collection of artifacts from the:

Mauryan era
Gupta era
Pala era
British era

The correct answer is: Mauryan era.

The Patna Museum is a museum in Patna, India. It is one of the oldest museums in India, established in 1917. The museum houses a collection of artifacts from the Mauryan era, including the Ashoka Pillar, the Didarganj Yakshi, and the Patna Museum Buddha.

The Mauryan era was a period of Indian history from the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE. It was a time of great political and cultural change. The Mauryan Empire was one of the largest empires in Indian history, and it was during this time that Buddhism became a major religion in India.

The Ashoka Pillar is a stone pillar that was erected by Ashoka the Great, the third emperor of the Mauryan Empire. The pillar is inscribed with edicts from Ashoka, which promote Buddhist values such as non-violence and compassion.

The Didarganj Yakshi is a stone statue of a woman that was found in Didarganj, Bihar, India. The statue is dated to the 2nd century BCE, and it is one of the finest examples of Mauryan art.

The Patna Museum Buddha is a stone statue of the Buddha that was found in Patna, India. The statue is dated to the 2nd century BCE, and it is one of the finest examples of Mauryan art.

The other options are incorrect because they are not periods of Indian history that correspond to the artifacts that are housed in the Patna Museum. The Gupta era was a period of Indian history from the 4th century CE to the 6th century CE. The Pala era was a period of Indian history from the 8th century CE to the 12th century CE. The British era was a period of Indian history from the 18th century CE to the 20th century CE.