Is the Anne Frank House Worth It? A Full Museum Review
One thing people tend to ask me about Amsterdam travel is whether or not the Anne Frank House is worth a visit.
It’s a valid question!
After all, is it just a house? Is there a museum portion? Did she actually live there?
Do I REALLY need to see it?
The short answer of it is, yes, visiting the Anne Frank House is definitely worth your time.
But here’s a little more insight and information as to why you should visit:
So, Is Going to the Anne Frank House Worth It?
I have to say, even with all of its popularity, I personally believe that the Anne Frank House is STILL severely underrated.
What is the Anne Frank House?
The Anne Frank House is a museum in Amsterdam.
What makes this museum special is that part of the museum itself is the building where Otto Frank worked. This building also holds the Secret Annex- the exact place where the Frank family hid during World War II and the Holocaust.
What will You See at the Anne Frank House?
The Anne Frank House consists of what I’d call two separate parts.
When you first enter, the main portion of the museum is a walk through the warehouse that Otto Frank worked in and the actual hiding space or Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid with her family.
This takes up the bulk of the museum.
After you walk through the Annex, the second portion of the museum has more of a traditional museum feel.
This space is mostly dedicated to the research that has been done regarding the Frank family and others who hid with them. It also looks at the way Anne Frank’s words have impacted the world and the way her story has spread.
Can You Go Inside the Secret Annex?
Yes, one of the things that makes visiting the Anne Frank House worthwhile is that you do go inside the actual Secret Annex.
More on that below 🙂
What is So Special About Anne Frank’s House?
What I have found most impactful about my visits to the Anne Frank House over the years are some of the specific items or sections in the museum. Here are a few worth mentioning:
✅The Attic Itself
The Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid for just over two years has been preserved in and of itself.
When he decided to open the museum, Otto Frank wanted to remove all of the furniture and belongings from the Annex. Therefore, you will only see the space in this section, not any of the actual items that were there at the time.
In a way, this adds more impact to the space. It is sparse and haunting.
✅Items on the Annex Walls
- Magazine Clippings on the Wall:
In Anne Frank’s room, you’ll notice cut-out newspaper and magazine clippings. She talks about these at length in her diary, but it is just wild to see them in person. These are the same clippings she painstakingly glued to the wall in an effort to cheer her up. - Anne & Margot’s Height Chart:
Another thing that guts me every time is the height tracker on the wall for Margot and Anne. Throughout their time in hiding, the Franks tracked the growth of their daughters with tick marks on the wall. The chart is still visible today. - The Tracking of the Allies
During his time in hiding, Otto Frank listened to an illegal radio and used the information he heard to track the advancement of the Allied forces.
On the wall of the Annex, you can still see his map of Europe, where he used pins and markings to keep track of movements as he hoped for liberation.
✅The Actual Diary of Anne Frank:
Obviously, the actual red gingham diary that Anne Frank used is something that takes your breath away.
The diary is not always on display, as it is removed and re-added from time-to-time, but it was back again the most recent time that I visited.
✅Tracking of the Annex Members After Hiding:
Near the end of the museum walkthrough, there is a section that traces the lives of each of the Annex members after they were discovered in hiding.
Newer research has uncovered in greater detail what actually happened to each person once they left the Annex. It was very interesting and moving to see.
Is the Anne Frank House Too Crowded?
One thing I hear over and over again from travelers is that they’re worried the Anne Frank House might be too crowded.
You’ve likely seen posts on social media with people complaining that they had to wait in line inside the museum and couldn’t go at their own pace.
This question makes sense- After all, the attic itself is a relatively small space, and the museum tickets are consistently sold out daily.
But, honestly, I’ve never had this experience. The Anne Frank House does a great job at limiting the number of tickets that can enter at each time slot, and they are merciless (in the best way) about entering on time.
Therefore, there are only ever a certain number of people entering at any one time.
What I will say is that there is, inevitably, sometimes a bottleneck situation when going up the stairs into the Secret Annexe.
This section of the visit is where the space becomes cramped and you have to climb up a flight of VERY steep stairs. Plus, this also happens to be a spot in the museum visit path where people naturally want to stop and take everything in.
So, at times, there can be a small wait at the entry to the attic near the swinging bookshelf.
Personally, I’ve never waited at this space more than a few minutes, despite visiting many times.
⭐Tip: Get to the house about half an hour before your timeslot so that you can begin lining up. That way, you’ll be one of the first to enter in your time slot.
How to Visit the Anne Frank House on Your Next Trip
After visiting many times and also taking students, my parents, my husband, and many others to see the Anne Frank House, here is what I’d absolutely recommend you do in order to get the most out of your trip:
Buy Tickets in Advance
I may sound like a broken record, but I am putting this out there again because YOU WILL NOT GET TO VISIT IF YOU DO NOT BOOK TICKETS IN ADVANCE!
Every. Single. Day. people comment on my TikToks or post in Amsterdam Facebook groups about the Anne Frank House and say they didn’t know and are heartbroken because now they can’t see it.
They’re right. They can’t.
There is NO way around this. Set the alarm for 10 AM Amsterdam time on Tuesday, 6 weeks in advance of your visit. Then book them right away!
You can read more about this process on my post about visiting the Anne Frank House!
Read the Book
People roll their eyes when I say this, but I will die on this hill. Reading Diary of a Young Girl before visiting the Anne Frank House makes a world of difference.
It gives you context and important background information that will change the entire impact of your visit.
Book A Morning Time Slot
Definitely try to visit in the morning if you can.
This gives you a chance to view the museum when you’re fresh and also gives you the opportunity to be one of the first to visit.
FAQ: Is The Anne Frank Huis Worth Visiting?
Despite its popularity, I still receive many questions related to whether or not the Anne Frank House is worth a visit. Here are a few that are important to know:
Is there a Tour of the Anne Frank House?
Yes, there is an audioguide tour of the Anne Frank House. This audioguide is exceptionally done and gives you the opportunity to scan into segments of the tour as you walk throughout the rooms.
There are no guided tours of the Anne Frank House, but you can attend an introductory session if you wish to. Tickets for this are limited but can be booked with your initial admission ticket.
How Long Does It Take To Visit the Anne Frank Huis?
You’ll need to allot about an hour to visit the Anne Frank House. This will give you enough time to walk through the hiding space portion and spend some time in the museum area following the actual walkthrough of the annex.
Is the Anne Frank House Introductory Program worth it?
I did not find the introductory program to be worth it. For the added time and cost, it did not present a significant amount of extra knowledge to the point where I would recommend it.
Was it terrible? No. Was it something I’d say you HAVE to do? Also no.
Conclusion: Is The Anne Frank House Worth It?
In every scenario, yes, the Anne Frank Huis is worth a visit. Although I have visited many times, I cannot forsee a time where I visit Amsterdam and do not tour this museum.
There is something special about this place- it’s not just a museum, but also a living piece of history. This piece of history is incredibly important to learn from, and the story of Anne Frank is worth preserving and understanding.
I hope you enjoy your visit!
