The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
Visiting the Anne Frank House (Huis) whilst in Amsterdam
Visiting the Anne Frank House
Visiting the Anne Frank House (Huis) is a sombre activity, but definitely a must-do to remember what happened to millions of people in Europe and to make sure that other leaders don't try the same again.
But, there are a few things to know and it's not easy.
First, visits are by timed tickets only and they go on sale on a certain date. If you are visiting at a busy time, like we did in the Spring (when tulips are out), getting tickets is very tricky. Outside of the busy time they aren't so difficult.
When are tickets made available?
Tickets go on sale 10:00 (Europe) on Tuesdays, with a week's worth of tickets released per batch 6 weeks in advance. For example, on 1st July tickets went on sale for 4th August to 10th August. Because summer is a "quiet" time there are time slots available for almost the full 6 weeks, but when we booked, for an early May visit, tickets were sold out within a couple of hours.
As mentioned you buy a ticket for a slot - this is the time you will be allowed into the house and being the Netherlands, that's the exact time - don't be late.
What options are available?
There are 2 types of tickets available - with and without the introductory talk. In practical terms, on arrival at the Anne Frank House those without the talk join the left queue (15 minutes before their time slot) and those with the talk join the right queue (also 15 minutes before the time slot).
The difference is clear - those with the talk are taken up to the top of an annex (not "The annex") where you are given a talk by a guide about the family and house, shown some photos and told about what to expect. You are then taken down and enter the house following those without the talk.
Is the introductory talk worth it?
The price difference is quite small and you will hear maybe a few extra bits of information, but in the 45 minutes it's nothing anyone who knows their history might not already know. If you know who Otto was and his connection in the story then there will be little to learn. But I was very surprised as to how many on our tour didn't know these basic details so they were enlightened.
What's involved in the tour?
As previously mentioned we visited the Anne Frank House when Amsterdam was very busy. As such the tour was selling out in hours and there was not a space on the tour - the house was maxed out.
When you enter the factory you are given a headset in a language of your choosing. Sometimes this headset needs to be held near to a location point on the tour to start, other times it will pick up the beacon as you enter a room and start automatically. Having heard the introductory talk and knowing a lot about history we were initially reluctant to use the headsets, but once stuck in the queues it was an interesting way to hear where you were in the house.
At first you enter the factory part of the house, strolling around various rooms to see the exhibits. The rooms are as they were left after the war so intentionally very sparse, with information cards scattered about.
As you get further into the tour it becomes slower as more and more people are reading every panel and eventually it becomes a slow endless queue. Photography is forbidden in the entire house, obviously, and eventually you pass behind the original bookcase that hid the entrance to the annex and start to explore the space that the families hid in. Here you get to appreciate how dark, cramped and frightening life must have been for them, before stepping out into the factory once more to complete the tour.
Is the Anne Frank house accessible?
No! It is the original factory and annex and some of the stairs are VERY steep. We saw people struggling / panicking about some of the cramped / steep stairs and even someone in tears about not being able to ascend them. Although you don't need to be 'fit' to explore the house you do need to be able to navigate stair cases that were built over 100 years ago for function and saving space. They are steep and narrow - you've been warned.
Shops / Cafes / Toilets
At the end of the tour, once you have finished, you are taken through a shop then pass a cafe and unisex toilets. These are the only facilities on the entire tour - once you step into the first door until this point you don't have the option to visit a toilet. But the cafe was very pleasant, looking back out over the canal and looking down onto the expectant tourists taking external photos of the factory.
Visiting the Anne Frank House
But, there are a few things to know and it's not easy.
First, visits are by timed tickets only and they go on sale on a certain date. If you are visiting at a busy time, like we did in the Spring (when tulips are out), getting tickets is very tricky. Outside of the busy time they aren't so difficult.
When are tickets made available?
Tickets go on sale 10:00 (Europe) on Tuesdays, with a week's worth of tickets released per batch 6 weeks in advance. For example, on 1st July tickets went on sale for 4th August to 10th August. Because summer is a "quiet" time there are time slots available for almost the full 6 weeks, but when we booked, for an early May visit, tickets were sold out within a couple of hours.
As mentioned you buy a ticket for a slot - this is the time you will be allowed into the house and being the Netherlands, that's the exact time - don't be late.
What options are available?
There are 2 types of tickets available - with and without the introductory talk. In practical terms, on arrival at the Anne Frank House those without the talk join the left queue (15 minutes before their time slot) and those with the talk join the right queue (also 15 minutes before the time slot).
The difference is clear - those with the talk are taken up to the top of an annex (not "The annex") where you are given a talk by a guide about the family and house, shown some photos and told about what to expect. You are then taken down and enter the house following those without the talk.
Is the introductory talk worth it?
The price difference is quite small and you will hear maybe a few extra bits of information, but in the 45 minutes it's nothing anyone who knows their history might not already know. If you know who Otto was and his connection in the story then there will be little to learn. But I was very surprised as to how many on our tour didn't know these basic details so they were enlightened.
What's involved in the tour?
As previously mentioned we visited the Anne Frank House when Amsterdam was very busy. As such the tour was selling out in hours and there was not a space on the tour - the house was maxed out.
When you enter the factory you are given a headset in a language of your choosing. Sometimes this headset needs to be held near to a location point on the tour to start, other times it will pick up the beacon as you enter a room and start automatically. Having heard the introductory talk and knowing a lot about history we were initially reluctant to use the headsets, but once stuck in the queues it was an interesting way to hear where you were in the house.
At first you enter the factory part of the house, strolling around various rooms to see the exhibits. The rooms are as they were left after the war so intentionally very sparse, with information cards scattered about.
As you get further into the tour it becomes slower as more and more people are reading every panel and eventually it becomes a slow endless queue. Photography is forbidden in the entire house, obviously, and eventually you pass behind the original bookcase that hid the entrance to the annex and start to explore the space that the families hid in. Here you get to appreciate how dark, cramped and frightening life must have been for them, before stepping out into the factory once more to complete the tour.
Is the Anne Frank house accessible?
No! It is the original factory and annex and some of the stairs are VERY steep. We saw people struggling / panicking about some of the cramped / steep stairs and even someone in tears about not being able to ascend them. Although you don't need to be 'fit' to explore the house you do need to be able to navigate stair cases that were built over 100 years ago for function and saving space. They are steep and narrow - you've been warned.
Shops / Cafes / Toilets
At the end of the tour, once you have finished, you are taken through a shop then pass a cafe and unisex toilets. These are the only facilities on the entire tour - once you step into the first door until this point you don't have the option to visit a toilet. But the cafe was very pleasant, looking back out over the canal and looking down onto the expectant tourists taking external photos of the factory.