Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is a national institution dedicated to the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history. The museum's primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this history, and educate citizens and leaders to confront hatred and prevent genocide. The museum was established in 1993. The Council that founded it, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, was established by Congress in 1980.

In FY 2024,

$72.1M

was spent by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

How much does the Holocaust Memorial Museum spend?

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum spent $72.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0011% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 72nd among federal agencies in total spending.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of USHMM net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s federal spending has increased from $1.38 million in 1981 to $72.1 million in 2024.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1981.

Yearly federal net spending by USHMM, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1981–2024

Since 1981, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's spending has increased 5,123.6%, while overall spending has increased 181.9%.
The department’s spending grew more than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, USHMM accounted for 0.0011% of all federal spending. That’s -0.00032 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.001 percentage points higher than in 1981.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1981.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to USHMM, FYs 1981–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net USHMM spending.

How did the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to USHMM, FY 2024

How many people work for the Holocaust Memorial Museum?

Some 111 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as of September 2024. This is 40.6% fewer people than the department staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has decreased 40.6% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for UNHMM, September 2010–2024

UNHMM accounts for 0.0048% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. UNHMM constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.009%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s share of the workforce (0.0048%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0011%).

Who leads the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum?

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is led by the Museum Director. The director is appointed by the museum's governing body and serves at their discretion. The director's term typically continues until they resign, are replaced, or the governing body decides to appoint a new director.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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