Anne Frank House, Holocaust museum in central Amsterdam, Netherlands
The building at Prinsengracht 263 consists of two connected 17th-century canal houses with a concealed rear annex accessed through a movable bookcase. The tour route leads through the cramped rooms of the hiding place with low ceilings and small windows that had to remain covered during occupation. Upper floors contain exhibition spaces with display cases, while the original hiding rooms were left mostly bare as Otto Frank wished.
The commercial building was constructed in the 1630s and housed Otto Frank's Opekta company from 1940 onward. The Frank family moved into the rear annex in July 1942 after Margot Frank received a deportation notice. Four additional people joined in the following months until the group was arrested in August 1944 following an anonymous tip. The building faced demolition in 1957 but a citizen initiative prevented this, enabling its opening as a museum three years later.
The building documents the persecution of Jewish families in occupied Netherlands through personal letters, photographs and everyday objects belonging to those in hiding. Exhibitions connect the experiences of the eight residents with the broader context of antisemitic policies across wartime Europe. The site serves as an educational center for tolerance and human rights, hosting school groups from different countries throughout the year.
Tickets must be booked online in advance as the museum admits only a limited number of visitors daily. The closest tram stops are Westermarkt and Prinsengracht, both about 656 feet (200 meters) away. The historic building has no elevators and the tour includes steep staircases and narrow passageways. A visit typically takes 75 minutes, with audio guides available in multiple languages.
The walls in Anne's bedroom still show the postcards, movie star posters and newspaper clippings she affixed during her time there. These personal decorations remain in their original positions behind protective glass, offering insight into the interests of a teenager under extreme circumstances. Visitors can see the pencil marks where Otto Frank tracked his daughters' growth on the wall.
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