The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has a lesson to share. The museum's primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about the Holocaust, to preserve the memory of those who suffered, and to encourage its visitors to reflect on the moral and spiritual questions raised by the tragic events of the Holocaust. The museum broadens the public understanding of the Holocaust through exhibitions; research and publications; collecting and preserving material evidence; distribution of educational materials; and through a number of other programs. Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1980, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a public-private partnership relying on both federal appropriations and private donations.