The survivors have lessons to share and have done so dozens of times at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum & Learning Center in Creve Coeur.

But every few weeks, it seems, yet another survivor dies. Museum officials know the survivors soon no longer will be able to tell the stories themselves.

On Monday, the museum announced an $18 million expansion and endowment that will triple the size of its existing facility, now at the northwest corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and Schuetz Road on the I.E. Millstone Jewish Community Campus.

“I’m thrilled very much,” said Mendel Rosenberg, 91, of Creve Coeur. He attended Monday’s announcement at the museum and lit candles during a remembrance ceremony along with five other survivors.

Rosenberg grew up in Lithuania and was in camps with his brother in Stutthof and Dachau. His brother was murdered. He tells his story regularly at the museum to school groups and other visitors. “I can’t forget the fact that we are survivors, that nobody would believe it if we were not here.”

Officials hope to make the museum building more visible and accessible, and expand its reach even deeper into the community to address issues of bias, bigotry and hate.