-Why it’s worth it, and how to minimize the wait.
The morning after our train ride fiasco, we went to visit Anne Frank House and Museum. Visiting Anne Frank House was one of my two absolutely must do things while in Amsterdam. As we planned, and since we have been there, many people have asked me, is Anne Frank House worth it? We say yes.
The Diary of Anne Frank is required reading in the US, and it is also widely read throughout the world. The experiences she shares are both moving and poignant. Many young women feel a special connection with Anne, because she shares her innermost feelings through a terrifying time, so openly. I was one of those women. In some ways, it is her diary that gives us our deepest understanding of the tragedies of war, and Anti-Semitism.
The house where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis is now one of the most widely visited sites in Amsterdam. It is very, very busy. When planning my trip I read several different articles about Amsterdam, some by bloggers, and some by locals. There were several writers who recommended avoiding the Anne Frank House. They stated that it was far too touristy. Some offered alternative locations to visit, such as the Jewish Resistance Museum, which has far fewer visitors and little waiting. The lines encountered when visiting the Anne Frank House were far too long, and the experience itself was not worth it.
Okay, so I get it. I live in Champaign, Illinois, home of a the University of Illinois, which hosts over 50,000 students each year. As a “townie” I avoid the campus area during the school year. I hate the crowds, I hate the traffic. But when I have visitors from out-of-town, the first place I take them is to campus. People who are not accustomed to the area love going there. They enjoy seeing the architecture, the art, the museums, the specialty shops, and the crowds. I would be cheating my visitors if I didn’t share this unique area with them.
Expecting a visitor from another country, or another continent, to avoid the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, is similar to asking them to avoid Notre Dame in Paris, or the Vatican City in Rome. For many people, the opportunity only presents itself once. I believe that important once in a lifetime experiences should never be sacrificed, no matter how many tourists there are, or how long the lines. From my perspective, visiting Anne Frank House is worth it. Add it to your Amsterdam itinerary because it is a must, especially if visiting Amsterdam with a family.
Yes, there will be crowds, and lines, but that is to be expected at any once in a lifetime location. I have been informed by many sources that the Jewish Resistance Museum is a remarkable museum, both educational and moving. I most certainly will visit it on my next stop in Amsterdam, and I am certain it will be emotional. But Anne Frank’s story broke many of our hearts long ago. For many women, walking through the annex in some strange way brings a sense of closure in their relationship with Anne.
What to expect when visiting Anne Frank House
Upon initial entry, there is a museum. Visitors who are educated about history of the Frank family may be familiar with a portion of what is presented in the museum side of the tour. Besides the diary itself, there are documentaries presented by both the BBC and National Geographic, as well as an untold number of posts, articles, and books about the Frank family. In some cases these materials have been used to form parts of the displays. Visitors who have studied some of these sources, will see some things they have seen before. Those who have not read or researched extensively will find a flood of new information, that sheds new light on Anne’s short life, and the events which led to her years in the annex.
After the museum section, the tour moves into the main building, what we now refer to as the house.
It is called a group tour, but each visitor has their own handheld device they use to listen to the information in each area, and they move on at their own pace. Even if you entered with a large group, it is possible to go at your own rate. That affords the opportunity to absorb the feeling and experience.
The building’s actual purpose was as a business. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, was a business owner with two ventures at that time, called Opekta and Pectacon. When the family went into hiding, the businesses continued to operate in their regular manner, while the Frank family remained in the attic above.
As you move into the business offices and storage areas of the building, it is important to slow down and examine the surroundings. It becomes apparent how the offices and warehouses were set up in particular ways to keep out peering eyes and avoid rousing suspicions. An understanding of the risks that were taken by the employees in this building to hide those who were wanted for nothing other than being of the wrong ancestry, begins to dawn on you.
Eventually you arrive at the book-case in the hall.
All readers of the diary know the purpose and significance of the bookcase.
For those who really connected with Anne’s story, who have truly felt the loneliness and fear in their hearts, there is nothing else like stepping behind that book case onto the steep creaking stairway that leads to the annex.
I made a point to center myself, and really think about it. I tried to remember some of the descriptions from the diary, to fully grasp both the realness and the reality of the place I was standing, the secret annex where the events of Anne Frank’s diary actually took place.
There were eight people living in this space. Eight people stayed utterly silent through each day, so business could be conducted immediately below them, without suspicion.
Eight people remained shut up in this space for almost thirty months, without ever going outside, ever opening the curtains in daylight, in fear for their lives.
Eight people hoping and praying in this annex, for a future beyond the war and the terror, only to be turned over to the Nazis and taken to concentration camps only months before the war ended. It all seems so pointless, and being there reminds you that it was real.
Eventually the tour moves into the tiny bedroom that was Anne’s. She shared this small space with a fully grown man she had never met before, something that no longer seems so abnormal when in fear for your life.
Her postcards and magazine clippings of movie stars are still on the wall. She was just a teenager. She had hopes of a bright future, dreams of fame and luxury, like every other teenager.
Standing in her room, you understand this. You understand the despair of her story, and what war and its horrors does to people, including innocent young girls.
The horrible truth is, Anne’s story is not unique. There were thousands of hiding places, and millions of lives ended for pointless reasons. Millions of innocent young girls lost their lives.
But it was this innocence that gave Anne hope through such times, and that gave her courage to share her thoughts in a diary. It is only because of that, those of us who have never had to experience war and such fear, can begin to understand.
Anne’s story touched my life long ago. Being in the annex where she hid and shared her life, left a deep impact on me. I would not trade that experience. Visiting Anne Frank house is worth it. If you feel a similar connection to Anne, you must visit her home if the opportunity ever arises.
If you visit Amsterdam, take the time to visit Anne Frank House. It is an experience you will long remember.
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If you are interested in the history of the war, and how the Netherlands memorializes those lost, see our story Remembrance and Liberation- Netherlands.
If you are looking for some other things to do in the city, try 10 Tips about Amsterdam.
If you want to be share our dramatic trip to Amsterdam, try The Long Train to Amsterdam.
Or, if you would like to laugh at some of our mishaps, check out Further Amsterdam Adventures.
its sad how she died
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I remember visiting there on my trip around Europe. Quite the experience and well worth taking the time to see. Places are popular for a reason and while some can easily be skipped some deserve the time and patience to be visited and remembered.