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When I was thirteen years old my parents bought me a book. It was The Diary of Anne Frank. It’s rather fitting that I was that age considering it was Anne’s 13th birthday when she received the book that would soon become her diary. I must have read that book dozens of times growing up, vowing that one day I would visit the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam myself. This is the story of that visit, and why I think everyone needs to go.
IMPORTANT VISITOR INFO: Due to the historic nature of the property, and the number of stairs, most of the house including the annex is not accessible for those who use a wheelchair or have limited mobility. The modern part of the museum can be visited which is where the displays of some personal effects are. The museum does have a robust digital library including a free Virtual Reality app to help those who can’t visit in person.
The story behind Anne Frank’s Diary
War. Isolation. Fear. Hope. There are a number of words that can describe what this book is about. It seems strange that so many people have read the diary of a young teenager – the kind of thing no-one would dare consider reading in the normal course of events. Yet these weren’t normal events. World War II was anything but. And I think that’s why so many people are drawn to the book. The experiences are something most of us, thankfully, can barely fathom.
Annelies (Anne) Frank was a Jewish teenager living in the Netherlands in the early 1940s. For her 13th birthday she was gifted a diary. It became the only place she could express how she was feeling as Europe was thrust into war, and she and her family retreated to a hidden annex in the office of her father’s business.
A select number of people knew about their hiding place, bringing them food, other supplies and news of the outside world. With nowhere to go, unable to step outdoors, Anne Frank kept a Diary, treating it as a friend. After the war, the Diary was published per Anne’s dream to one day be a published writer and tell her story of the holocaust.
The Secret Annex
The Secret Annex which Anne Frank and her family called home for over two long years was opened to the public in 1960. It remains a museum that over a million people a year visit, and is one of the most famous hiding places in the world.
Many of the personal effects of the Frank and van Pels family who lived in the Secret Annex were saved by those helping the families hide. Much of those personal effects are in the museum again now along with other items from that period which make it as close to how it would have been in the 1940s.
Visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
Visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is one of the top activities in the city for tourists. It is emotional, and heart-wrenching to say the least, but is somewhere I would recommend everyone try to visit.
The space is small in areas, which only goes to give insight into how it must have been to live in these tiny rooms without the freedom to leave when you want. Because of the size of the space, tickets are limited and are sold on a timed basis. Keep reading for tips on how to secure the tickets for your visit.
The warehouse and offices of Otto Frank’s business can be seen as you move from room to room learning about German occupation of Netherlands and how it impacted the Jewish population of Amsterdam and the whole country. Of the 150,000 Jews in Netherlands at the start of the war, 70% didn’t survive.
Many people went into hiding – a lot of them were caught. The Frank family did both. The Secret Annex had a couple of rooms to it, a makeshift kitchen and a bathroom. During the day the occupants had to be quiet so workers in the building didn’t hear them. They had to be careful about running water or flushing the toilet. All of this you can see in the museum as you shuffle from room to room.
As well as exploring the Secret Annex, there are displays in the museum showing some of the families personal possessions. These include Anne Frank’s diary itself. As someone who has read the book many times, this was really moving to see in person.
The museum doesn’t just tell the story of Anne Frank’s experience but gives history on the war and the Holocaust too.
Must know information for your visit
Due to the subject matter and the limited space in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, there are some good things to know ahead of your visit:
- No large bags – no backpacks, large purses, suitcases or other luggage. If you have a bag bigger than an A4 size of paper you may not be let in. The cloakroom isn’t always open so best leave large items at your hotel just in case
- You MUST purchase a ticket in advance – they sell out fast and far ahead so plan early. Anyone who’s been to Alcatraz in San Francisco or Statue of Liberty in New York will understand what I mean. More info below on booking tickets, but don’t leave it too late and miss out. Without a ticket you won’t even get in the door.
- Bring tissues – the museum is a difficult subject matter to deal with. If you’re anything like me you will find it impactful, but emotional. I suggest throwing some tissues in your bag just in case.
- You can’t take photos – at least in the Secret Annex. Some of the other rooms it is possible, but please check for the signs and if in doubt ask the staff
- Accessibility – The house and annex involve lots of stairs and tight spaces therefore wheelchair users will unfortunately not be able to access this part. See top of this post for more info a link to the digital library of information
How to get tickets to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
Good planning, and being prepared to get up early will increase your odds of getting tickets to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. It’s a popular place, and tickets will sell out. Unless you buy them pretty much as soon as they go on sale you might be disappointed. Especially if visiting in the summer months. And even more especially if you have limited time in Amsterdam as you won’t be as flexible.
The process of ticket sales has changed in the last couple of years – perhaps due to Covid, but most likely for the long term. Currently though, tickets for the month go on sale the first Tuesday of the previous month.
So for example if you plan on visiting May 25, the tickets will go on sale the first Tuesday in April. If you plan to visit June 1, tickets for that won’t be available until the first Tuesday in May.
Tickets will go on sale at 9am of that Tuesday. If, like me, you live on a different time zone to Netherlands you may have to get up early, or stay up late. Each 15-minute time slot has an allocated number of tickets. When they are gone, they are gone. There’s no waitlist and you can’t get tickets anywhere except online.
Pro Tip: If like me the Anne Frank House is a must-visit on your Amsterdam trip, be prepared to shuffle your itinerary around ticket availability.
A must-visit museum
For me, the Anne Frank House was my main reason to visit the city of Amsterdam. Since I was a child reading that book I wanted to see the place I felt like I knew from reading all about it from Anne’s point of view.
I also couldn’t understand what could possess any group of people to treat another group of people so horrifically. That’s probably where my fascination with WWII began, and still continues to this day. So visiting the museum was especially interesting to me.
I was a child of the same age as Anne at the time I first read her Diary. It didn’t matter that she was born 60-years before me. I wasn’t Jewish, or in hiding with my country at war all around me. But I connected with a lot of what she wrote. Everyday life things. I think that’s why the museum was also so impactful to me. I’m sure everyone takes away something from visiting this museum. Some personal connection.
It would take a heart of stone to get through visiting the very rooms Anne Frank lived in, and was captured from, without having at least a lump in your throat.
I’m beyond grateful that my parents decided to buy me that book when I was 13. And I’m glad I finally got to visit the place where it was written.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam before, or are you planning a visit in the future?
I remember reading this book as a teenager also. Would love to visit the Anne Frank house some day.
I agree! I grew up reading her book and then went on to read similar memoirs. I still remember how effected I was when I visited the Anne Frank House. It is so much more than her story. Plus, it’s a very emotional place.
I agree that this is a must-do for everyone visiting Amsterdam. Horrible but essential to see this place for yourself, especially for anyone who has read her book. I have not been for years but it certainly seems much more challenging to get tickets nowadays so thanks for all the tips.
I would just like to add to your post that, although visiting the annex in person isn’t an option for wheelchair users, there is a virtual tour that the museum offfers by usinga VR headset so that you can still have a moving and unique experience.
The Anne Frank house is on my bucket list!
That’s a really great point, thanks for mentioning that. It’s so good that there are many more virtual options now too
I have always wanted to visit the Anne Frank House/Museum since reading her diary at school at 15yrs old. I am also a wheelchair user so I know that it would be impossible to visit for real because of the stairs.
I also know they have a museum. But does the museum give the same affect/feeling as actually visiting the house would?
The museum has a scale model of the overall annex and rest of the house as well as housing a number of personal effects and other information which go into detail about Anne’s life and experiences. While it’s definitely still very impactful it may not have the exact same feelin as being in the annex. I did update my post to include more info about accessibility including links to the digital library which is where the free VR app can also be found.
I got emotional just reading this post and I also read the book when I was a teenager. Yes, it’s a difficult subject & hard to understand how the holocaust happened but essential to remember and to visit museums such as Anne Frank’s house.
I loved my visit to the Anne Frank House. Thanks for a great reminder.
I sadly missed this moving and incredible experience when I was in Amsterdam because I didn’t plan ahead and couldn’t get tickets. Thanks for the great info. I will surely include it in my itinerary the next time I go to Amsterdam.
I completely agree with you! We weren’t able to get tickets (and we were only there for one day too!) I really wish I got to see it. It’s so sad that people are starting to forget about the Holocaust and not believe it. These museums are so important!
I also read the book when I was young and it stayed in my mind since. When I went to Amsterdam I didn’t have the chance to visit the house but I will for sure return to visit one day. Thanks so much for sharing
This is a beautifully written and emotive post. I so feel the same in everything you said. I too cannot image man’s inhumanity toward another section of society, in this way. I often visit memorials to WW2 and Jewish holocaust sites so I don’t forget what we have come through to be free today.
I was one of those who did not do my homework and arrived at the Museum expecting to get tickets on the day! I missed out enormously and it is top of my list for when I next get back to Amsterdam (booking well in advance too!). Loved reading this post.
I read this book almost 50 years ago and now you have me wanting to read it again. I also want to visit the museum. I know I’ll be like you and have a few tears flowing.
Thanks for sharing your impressions and personal experience with Anne Frank. Your post has also given a great insight on the booking system and how it works. I visited in 2016 and like Barry, just rocked up. I waited maybe 2h in the line. It was so busy back then, had no idea it was still popular and visitor numbers have gone up that much, that they introduced a month-in-advance booking system.
Thank you for this information, it’s worth knowing if you’re planning to visit. My friend visited here and she said it’s a must see but I couldn’t visit Amsterdam at the time. I’d love to go back and visit but I’ll be sure to by that ticket way in advance.
I loved visiting this museum, and think it’s a must-visit when in Amsterdam. The book had such a big impact on me that I knew I needed to see exactly what Anne had described. I was a bit surprised at how large the space was, I always pictured it in my mind to be much smaller.
Your post on the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is a heartfelt reminder of the power of history and empathy. Thanks for sharing your experience and encouraging everyone to visit. It’s places like these that leave a lasting impact on our hearts and minds.
Your post on the Anne Frank House is beautifully written….
Anne Frank’s story has become a symbol of the suffering and resilience of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. Her diary continues to be a vital educational tool, promoting understanding, empathy, and remembrance