Gandhi Museum - Tamilnadu

A must-see in Madurai, the Gandhi Memorial Museum is housed in the splendid old Rani Mangammal Palace. The museum showcases the glorious stages of the freedom struggle, a glimpse of the Gandhian movement, and a rich collection of relics. Madurai had an unshakable relationship with Gandhi. It was here that the Meenakshi Temple was opened to the Harijans, marking a historic chapter in the fight against the untouchables. The palace is now home to a museum built during Naick's reign in 1670 AD. A replica of the Sevagram hut is located in front of the main museum building. The Gandhi Memorial Museum, established in 1959, is a memorial museum to Mahatma Gandhi located in the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India. Known as the Gandhi Museum, it is one of the five Gandhi Sanghrayas (Gandhi museums) in the country. It includes part of the bloody clothes Gandhi wore during the assassination of Nathuram Godse. Browse the extensive book collection in the museum library, and you'll also find old letters written by Gandhi and reels of microfilm.
An outdoor theater located on the south side of the main building serves as a venue for various cultural programs. Plan your trip to participate in the various festivals held here. A five-day program is organized every year as part of Gandhi Jayanti. At the museum, there is an area dedicated to specific aspects of Gandhi's life. The freedom movement can be traced to the beautiful illustrations in the panels of the section titled 'India's Struggle for Freedom'. The Durbar Hall of the palace has been converted into this area. The visual biography section features rare photographs documenting Gandhi's life from childhood. Manuscripts, paintings, and sculptures related to Gandhi are also displayed here. The third part presents about a hundred artifacts used by Mahatma Gandhi. History Gandhi Memorial Museum Years after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, Indians across the country called for a memorial to be built in his honor. With the help of contributions from poor and rich Indian citizens, a fund was established for this purpose, the Mahatma Gandhi National Memorial Fund.
The Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai is one of the Global Peace Museums selected by the United Nations (UN). An original letter sent by Gandhiji to Narayanan Satsangi of Devakottai can be found at the museum. A message sent by Gandhi appreciating the poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharati is also kept in this museum. Another interesting letter is the one written by Mahatma Gandhi to Adolf Hitler, calling him “Dear Friend." India Struggles for Freedom is a special exhibition on “India Struggles for Freedom” with 265 illustrations documenting the history of the Freedom Movement. One of the main attractions of the Gandhi Memorial is the 'Visual Biography of Bapuji' that contains photographs, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, quotes, and other selected copies of his letters and presentations. This section includes 124 rare photographs depicting different stages of Gandhi's life, right from his childhood to being taken to the crematorium. The images presented here were carefully selected to remind viewers of the importance of a national leader who lived his life as an example to all. There is a bloody cloth used by Gandhi on the day he was assassinated, although it is also said that it is only a copy and not the original. It is preserved inside a vacuum-sealed glass case, reminding viewers of the importance of this day in Indian history.

Gandhi Museum Madurai Timings

From 9:30 till 1:00, 2:00 pm until 5:45 pm (closed every Sunday.)

Gandhi Museum entry fee

No fees

Gandhi Museum Camera Fee

Fee for the camera: Rs. 50