The AIDS Memorial Quilt began in 1985 with a few people who wanted to ensure that their loved ones who had died from AIDS would be remembered. The AIDS Memorial Quilt, now part of the National AIDS Memorial in San Francisco, is a 54-ton tapestry that includes more than 48,000 panels dedicated to more than 100,000 individuals. It remains a symbol of the AIDS pandemic — a memorial to those who died from AIDS — and an HIV-prevention education tool. However, an interactive application called AIDS Quilt Touch offers users the ability to digitally search and view the quilt. Balsamo said the AIDS Memorial Quilt has been recognized as one of the 100 most important works of American culture in the 20th century.