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In 1960, the old warehouse opened to the public as a museum to preserve the memory of Anne Frank and her family. The beautiful canal home, which was built in 1635, is where Anne Frank lived and hid during the years 1942-1944 in order to avoid being taken away by the German Military.
The tour of the actual warehouse and secret annex is self guided, and has a genuine appeal. The house is an accurate representation of what life was like for the two beloved families that lived isolated from daylight and the outside world for two years in the attic, behind an old wooden bookshelf. Walking through the narrow house you feel the eerie presence of the life once lived within. The squeaky floors, the dim lighting, and the overall emptiness of the house allow you to enter the world in which the Frank family once lived. The rooms although bare, still show the representation of what use to be. For example, Anne's room has tiny clippings on the walls of people she knew.
Anne Frank's diary is well renowned for the events that took place while she lived in the secret attic. Excerpts can be found throughout the museum and several phrases have been taken out and put on walls throughout the building. This added to the overall ambiance of the house.
Anne's diary was published in 1947 by her father Otto Frank, in order to help preserve the memory of his daughter. There is a bookshop at the end of the tour that offers several types of memorabilia for purchase, including Anne's Diary that was published various times and in numerous languages.
Overall this tour felt authentic, because it was life-like and you could somehow relate to what the families must have been going through, in some way or another. So if you are interested in this type of experience then it is a good idea to try the tour out and feel the experience for yourself.
Visiting hours are 9am-9pm in the summer and in the winter its 9am-7pm. Entrance is 7.50 euros for adults. Enjoy.
Last updated: June 2006
