Anne Frank House (Anne Frank Huis) Tours and Activities

The bestselling book “Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl” brought to life one of the greatest horrors of the 20th century in a compelling, personal way. In the true story, a young Jewish girl, her family, and some friends are forced into hiding in Amsterdam to escape the Nazis during World War II. The house that served as the Frank family’s hiding place for two years survived the war and is now a moving museum, with the primary site being the achterhuis (rear house), also known as the secret annex. Here the Franks sat in silence during the day and ate food that was secretly brought to them before being mysteriously betrayed and sent to Nazi concentration camps. Otto Frank, the only Frank who survived the war, published Anne’s now-famous diary in 1947.

The Basics

The museum is one of Amsterdam’s top attractions and tickets often sell out—it is strongly recommended that travelers pre-purchase a ticket for a particular time slot. In fact, from 9am to 3:30pm, the museum is open only to visitors with a timed ticket purchased online.

Things to Know Before You Go

• A visit to the Anne Frank House is an emotional experience, and appropriate solemnity should be observed.
  
• You won’t need much time inside—30 minutes should be enough for you to see the interior and pause for a moment of reflection.
  
• If you have time, stop in next door, at Prinsengracht 265-267, to see temporary exhibits.
  

How to Get There

The Anne Frank House (Anne Frank Huis) is located in the center of Amsterdam, at Prinsengracht 263-267. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from Centraal station to the museum. Trams 13, 14, and 17, and buses 170, 172 and 174, stop nearby, at the Westermarkt stop.

When to Get There

The Anne Frank House is open every day of the year except for Yom Kippur, with extended evening hours during summer. Lines can be long at peak times, especially in the early afternoon, when you may have to wait an hour or more to get in. To avoid the crowds, arrive at the museum entrance either early or late in the day. Keep in mind that last entry is 30 minutes before closing time and the line closes earlier—depending on how busy it is, this can be as early as two hours before closing time.  

Jewish Amsterdam

To get a clearer picture of Anne Frank’s life, both before World War II and during the Netherlands’ occupation by Nazi Germany, consider exploring some of Amsterdam’s other important sites in the Jewish Quarter (Jodenbuurt). A guided walking tour focused on Anne Frank’s life visits her family home and school, while an Amsterdam canal cruise along the Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) gives you a unique perspective from the water and a self-guided audio tour lets you learn about the sights at your own pace.