The Anne Frank House is well worth the visit if you are ever in Amsterdam. The house is Prinsengracht 263, and is easy to find as Amsterdam is very compact. Many of the boats touring Amsterdam's canals also stop off at the museum.
Once inside the house you are shown a short video describing the anti-Jewish persecution of the Second World War, which led Anne, her family and four others to hide in the annexe of this remarkable building. Anne's father, Otto, ran a business in the front of the house, and the uppermost floors of the back annexe became their hiding place for over 2 years.
Visitors follow a fixed route around the house, starting with the revolving bookcase that hid the entrance to the annexe. Once you enter the main living quarters you begin to appreciate how cramped, oppressive and frightening life for the eight inhabitants must have been, always fearing the chance of discovery. During office hours no-one could use the toilet or sink in case anyone working downstairs should hear them.
Models in the room show how the annexe was furnished, and you can see cuttings of film stars on the wall in Anne Frank's room that she used to give it some character. Once you leave the annexe you can see Anne's original diary and an exhibition looking at the histroy of anti-Semitism. There is also a well-stocked museum shop.
More than 500,000 people visit the Anne Frank House yearly, so it is often very busy with long queues to get in. My advice is to arrive early - the museum opens at 9am Monday-Saturday and 10am on Sundays. When I arrived early on Sunday morning there were no queues and the house was virtually empty, which gave me more time to have a proper look around and appreciate the significance of it all.
Entrance prices are a very reasonable £3-4 (for more information see www.annefrank.nl).
I had not read Anne Frank's Diary before I visited the museum but I was immediately inspired to do so. For anyone who has read the diary, Anne Frank's house will really bring Anne's text alive. The museum brings into sharp focus the horrors of the Second World War, but also tells a truly inspiring story.
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thanks for the opinion. I didnt know that this house was in Amsterdam, even if I read the diary, which I would really recommend to read, before anyone goes to see this place.
REG 29.03.2001 17:16
Just the sort of you needed if you are undecided whether to go. Welcome to my circle
Dizz 13.03.2001 20:34
I went to Amsterdam not so long ago and I did not go here - reading this I really really wish I had. Thanks for a great opinion!
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Mar 13th, 2001
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