Atlantic City may be known for its casinos, Boardwalk, and outlet shops. But a new museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi is adding to its growing cultural scene.
Like every other shopper on this summer Friday, retired chef Ralph Romano was looking for bargains at the Tanger Outlets in Atlantic City. As he left the J. Crew store with his 70%-off find, he did a double take.
As he toured the exhibits, he examined archival footage and photographs in a timeline of Mohandas K. Gandhi’s life, covering his days as an attorney in South Africa, his nonviolent fight for India’s independence through noncooperation, and his search for spiritual enlightenment. “It’s a really beautiful museum.”
With significant support from the multinational conglomerate Aditya Birla Group based in Mumbai, the Gandhian Society opened the 3,500-square-foot center last fall. Since then, interest has slowly built, and the free museum has attracted a few hundred visitors in recent months, according to organizers.
“First choice was New York City,” Butala said. “It was not working out. Next best option was Atlantic City.” Shalini Basu, a hospice social worker in the area, is the volunteer director of development for the museum. The diversity of Atlantic City — 32% Black, 26% white, 16% Asian, according to the American Community Survey — makes it the perfect proving ground for Gandhi’s and King’s beliefs, she said, perhaps even an antidote to gangs and violent conflict. “Both these leaders are big on bringing people together,” Basu said. “By bringing Gandhiji’s and Dr.
The 11 exhibits that line the walls represent the 11 values that Gandhi espoused. In one exhibit, visitors strike a xylophone tuned to “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram,” a devotional song. Each note triggers a digital mosaic depicting figures from different religions holding hands in unity. In another, visitors spin a charkha to play clips related to Gandhi’s fight for economic independence from the British.
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