Number of visitors to the Quilt: +18,000,000
Number of names on the Quilt: more than 91,000 (representing only about 18% of all U.S. AIDS deaths)
Size: 1,293,300 square feet (6 city blocks)
Viewing time: To see the entire Quilt spending only one minute per panel - over 33 days
Total Weight: More than 54 tons
Last Full Display: The Mall in Washington, D.C. in 1996
Goal of the Quilt: to honor and remember those who've died of AIDS, to bring awareness to how massive the AIDS pandemic really is, and to bring support and healing to those affected by it.
These are the panels I made to honor my brother, Wayne Hanson and his partner, Don Melvin, who died of AIDS in the mid 1990's. Each individual panel measures 3 feet by 6 feet (roughly the size of a grave).
Eight panels are combined into 12 by 12 foot units that make up the massive quilt.
If you ever get an opportunity to view a portion of the NAMES Quilt in person, don't hesitate. You'll find it a powerfully moving experience.
