Anne Frank House, Amsterdam 
Canal view from the porch of the Anne Frank House.
See many more photos in our Anne Frank House Photo Gallery.
Anne Frank's bedroom, cheered up with photos of royals and film stars.
Identity card of Otto Frank, Anne's father.
Bookcase hiding the secret annex; Anne Frank statue near the house.
In summer there can be a long wait to see the Anne Frank House (Anne Frankhuis) in Amsterdam, but the experience is worth the wait.
History
During World War II, eight people from three separate families lived together in this house in near total silence for more than two years.
The hiding place found by Otto Frank kept them safe until, tragically close to the end of the war, it was raided by Nazi forces and its occupants were deported to concentration camps.
It was in this house that Anne Frank kept her famous diary as a way to deal with both the boredom and her youthful jumble of thoughts, which had as much to do with personal relationships as with the Nazi terror raging outside her hiding place. Visiting the rooms where she hid is a moving experience that brings her familiar words to life.
What to See
The rooms of the building, which was an office and warehouse at that time, are still as bare as they were when Anne's father returned, the only survivor of the eight onderduikers (hiders).
Nothing has been changed, except that protective Plexiglas panels have been placed over the wall where Anne pinned up photos of her favorite actress, Deanna Durbin, and of the little English princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.
The visitor route also includes the offices and warehouses of Otto Frank's business, a small living area and kitchen, a tiny bathroom, and several rooms containing artifacts and other exhibits relating to the Frank family and the secret annex.
Relevant passages from Anne Frank's diary are printed on the walls throughout the house in both Dutch and English, and some of the rooms have short videos on the Nazi occupation and of the recollections of Miep Gies, one of the office workers who helped hide the family.
The museum includes a nice cafe and large gift shop. Once outside again, look for a modern bronze sculpture of Anne at nearby Westermarkt.
Map
Location map and satellite view of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around.
Quick Facts
| Address: | Prinsengracht 263, Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Location: | At Westermarkt |
| Phone: | 020/556-7105 |
| URL: | www.annefrank.nl |
| Tram: | 6, 13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt |
| Hours: | Apr-Aug daily 9am-9pm; Sept-Mar daily 9am-7pm; Jan 1 and Dec 25 noon-7pm; May 4 9am-7pm; Dec 16, 31 9am-5pm. Closed Yom Kippur. |
| Cost: | 7.50€ adults, 3.50€ children 10-17, children under 10 free |
| Tip: | Get to the Anne Frank House as early as you can to save some waiting time - or better, go in the evening, as it is invariably quiet then. |
| Photography: | Not allowed. |
Sources
- Personal visit (November 2006).
- Frommer's Amsterdam
- Fodor's Amsterdam
