Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House, in Dutch Anne Frank Huis, is a touching museum that catapults the visitor into the despair of the Second World War years. It is the place where the young Anne, a Jewish girl born in Frankfurt am Main and made famous by her diary, lived for more than two years in hiding with her family and four other people to escape the Nazis.

The house was converted into a museum in 1960 and is located along the Prinsengracht in the semi-central Jordaan district. Anne Frank together with her family, the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer, remained hidden here during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, in this secret accommodation made possible by a specially created revolving bookcase, part of the building that Otto Frank, Anne’s father, did not use for his business.

Otto’s employees, meanwhile, secretly supplied the people in hiding with food, school supplies and all kinds of utensils, enabling them to survive.

The secret annexe was discovered two years later, on 4 August 1944, by the Germans, alerted most probably by an unknown traitor. All the occupants of the house were deported to different concentration camps and none survived, except Otto Frank, Anne’s father.

Visiting the Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank house-museum was opened on 3 May 1960, closed for a short time in 1970 for renovation and closed again in 1995, this time for complete renovation. The work took about four years, and in September 1999 the opening was honoured with the presence of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

The atmosphere inside the museum has remained unchanged, there is a feeling of silent grief that has never been forgotten, the rooms are empty and on display are Anne Frank’s diary and several quotations of her most beautiful phrases, as well as, of course, some documents from the time, historical films, photographs and personal items.

After visiting the house, you can spend some time in a multimedia area with interactive displays that allow you to relive the events and the kind of life lived at that time. Temporary themed exhibitions are often set up in the same area.

Entrance tickets for the Anne Frank House

Entrance tickets for the Anne Frank House can only be purchased online at the official website. As one of the most visited museums in Amsterdam, we recommend that you buy your ticket in good time.

Guided tours

If you want to explore the Anne Frank House Museum in more depth, take part in a guided tour. This is certainly the best way to find out all about the city’s history during World War II, while also visiting the Jewish Quarter and attractions such as the Portuguese Synagogue, the Jewish Historical Museum and the Auschwitz Monument.

Opening Hours

The Anne Frank House is open with the following opening hours

• 1 April to 31 October: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m;
• 1 November to 31 March: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays until 9 p.m;
• 25 and 31 December: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m;
• 1 January: 12:00 to 22:00.

There are some exceptions to these hours, usually in connection with national holidays or events in the city. The tour of the house takes about an hour and entry to the museum is permitted up to half an hour before closing time.