Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Date Visited: July 19, 2016
Time Spent: 2.5 hours in line, 1.5 hours inside.
Collection: Anne Frank Collection, Book and Paper, Historic House
*No photos of the interior were taken out of respect to the Frank family and all those affected by the Holocaust*
If you're in Amsterdam, the top thing on everyone's travel list is to visit the Anne Frank House. Tickets sell out months i advance, and the lineup outside the building certainly proves it. From speaking with many people who have visited Amsterdam, or are planning to, the House seems to be hit and miss in regards to how vital it is to actually wait in line or not. I want to get something straight right off the bat with this: It is extremely important that you visit this museum, it is worth the hours you'll wait in line, and it is probably one of the most moving places you'll ever visit if you educate yourself enough about it and have the proper respect towards what happened here and everything the inhabitants went through.
You first enter through a newly built visitor centre, where there is an information exhibit, both about Anne's life and a brief history of the Holocaust in relation to the Frank family. If you don't know anything about this point in history, I highly suggest you take your time and read through everything. Next, you enter the house, which was the location of the spice and gelling companies Otto Frank worked for, and are taken on a journey throughout the various rooms. Each is a mini exhibition in its own right. The exhibits are accompanied by videos containing interviews and recordings of survivors that knew Anne and her family. It is almost too powerful to put into words. Overall, one of the most human museums I have ever visited.
The actual house itself is the one to the right of the peaked roof
Anne Frank first went into hiding in the Secret Annex of this house in 1942, and remained there for two years until they were discovered. Her father, Otto Frank was the only survivor of the group, and published Anne's diary to spread her messages of hope.
You enter the Annex like Anne first did, through the bookcase hinged on the wall. The stairs up to the attic are narrow and steep, so if you have bad knees, make sure to take it slow. The rooms don't have any of the furniture that was there during Anne's stay, which is possibly why some visitors say they didn't enjoy their visit, of that it didn't live up to their expectations. You have to have an understanding for the nature of the House. Of course furniture will be removed as the museum sees well over 1 million visitors yearly. For the sake of conservation, it only makes sense. There are enough photos to help you create a picture in your mind of what the Annex really looked like when you walk through it. The Annex is also extremely small, and it is probably the place where people spend the least amount of time, which may also contribute to the mixed reviews I spoke of earlier. Again, this is real life, and many times our imaginations get the better of us.
After making your way through the attic, you are brought down to a room showcasing Anne's diary pages. These original documents are so beautifully displayed, and the story suddenly becomes extremely real and human. This is where you see how impactful one girl's life can be.
If you haven't read The Diary of Anne Frank, I strongly recommend you read it before visiting. It will help with your understanding and interpretation of the Annex. It's a short read, you may even get through most if it while waiting in line.
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