The building was renovated at a cost of Rs10.25 crore. Madurai : The renovated Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai was inaugurated by chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday.
The museum, inaugurated by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in April 1959, has undergone a major upgrade with interactive digital exhibits and visitor-friendly facilities while retaining the existing structure and its heritage character. The digital exhibits trace nearly 300 years of history, beginning with the arrival of the British in India,” said Rao. Former chief minister M K Stalin had originally announced a Rs6 crore modern makeover for the historic museum during the 75th Independence Day address in August 2021, commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s historic 1921 visit to Madurai, where he adopted his iconic loincloth attire. Following this, administrative sanction was accorded in January 2022, and the work commenced in October 2022.
“Touchscreen kiosks have been introduced to take visitors through the life of Mahatma Gandhi as well as the broader history of India’s freedom struggle.
K R Nanda Rao, secretary of the museum, said that partitions that were earlier erected inside to display artefacts were removed. The chief minister garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi , unveiled a plaque and then formally inaugurated the renovated museum. These have been replaced with digitally enabled display cases, improving visibility while allowing visitors a better view of the building’s original interiors. The museum’s presentation has been modernised with illuminated display boards and interactive exhibits.