A hugely popular and moving tourist attraction that goes beyond incomprehensible Holocaust figures and focuses on one Jewish family's struggle to survive tucked away in an annex in this house, which opened as a museum in 1960, having been saved from demolition. The story centres on Anne Frank (1929–45), whose diariy entries written while in hiding between July 1942 and her family's discovery by the Nazis in August 1944 remain among the more iconic works associated with Amsterdam.
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This is an extraordinary experience. I've done it three times and can't do it again. I can't put myself through the emotional reactions again. It's not easy to get into now. Later in the day, I understand, is better. However, you do walk through the swinging bookcase and climb the stairs to the kitchen, Anne and Dr. Dussel's room, you see the rotted W.C. and the attic where Anne and Peter were found. The modern museum next to the original house has footage from the documentary made about 30 years ago, and copies of the diaries in three languages. The thing that's most remarkable is that everything is exactly the way it was described in her writing.
A Chilling Experience
The museum consists of two sections. The first is the new museum with displays of various photographs and letters. The second is the old part of the house with the secret annex. In order to get to the secret annex, you need to climb a very steep wooden staircase that was apparently characteristic of old canal houses. This latter portion of the tour is very chilling. A total of 8 people hid in these cramped quarters 24 hour a day, until they were betrayed, arrested and sent to Westerbork. My recollection is that the tour itself took about an hour, exclusive of time waiting in line to enter. This is not to be missed!