The Anne Frank Museum

Prinsengracht 263 stands mutely on a canal in Amsterdam, the narrow facade with its long windows giving little hint to what lies inside. Better known to the world as the Anne Frank Museum, it is a tangible link to the dark days of World War 2 - and was almost demolished in the 1950s.

Otto Frank, Anne's father, expressed his wish that the rooms of the annex remain empty, and the museum has complied. This might lead one to ask; if the rooms are empty, what is there to see?

The answer is plenty. Here is a run down of some of the things you will see and experience at the museum.

The Diary - The museum's most famous object is, of course, Anne's diary itself. While most people think of her diary as being only the red plaid bound book, it is actually comprised of additional notebooks and a ledger from her father's office. The diary is open on the display, so you can see Anne's actual writing. Each time I've visited it has been open to a different page - upon asking, I was told the pages are turned periodically to retain the binding.

Family Photo Albums - Like Anne's diary, these family photo albums were hurriedly salvaged from the aftermath of the family's arrest on the morning of August 4, 1944. Rare, pre-war photos of the Frank family show an innocent family, unaware of the fate to come. Most poignant are photos of Anne sweetly enjoying the sun and grass outside.

Anne's ID Card - Chilling to look upon, this small, typewritten index card lists the particulars of Anne as noted when she entered Bergen-Belsen.

Red Cross Letters - The letters sent to Otto Frank confirming the death of the rest of his family.

Photos and Videos - There exists one video of Anne herself, taken on the day of a neighbor's wedding, previously found only here at the museum. (Now released by the museum to the internet) There are also numerous personal items, photos and videos of Otto Frank and the helpers who hid the 8 people, many recounting personal memories of the time the family was in hiding.

The Bookcase - Yes - you will walk up the ladder-steep steps to the small alcove and through the legendary swinging bookcase doorway that hid the family for over two years.

The Rooms - While the rooms themselves are devoid of furniture, there is still plenty to see. Note the original wallpaper with the marks showing Anne and Margot's growth while in hiding. In Anne's room, a sheet of glass protects the original wallpaper, allowing visitors to see the photos, newspaper clippings and the post cards that Anne herself chose and pasted to the wall. There are also photos in the rooms showing them as if they were furnished. (Indeed, they once were in the 1960s) Furnished vs. Non-Furnished is a major point of debate for many visitors, and it is worth pointing out that the rooms are not only unfurnished because it's how Otto Frank wished it, but because after their arrest, all furniture and personal articles not saved by Miep Gies were confiscated and removed by the secret police - thus, there are no authentic pieces of furnish to display.

The Attic - From the window in the attic, Anne would longingly gaze at an ancient chestnut tree and dream of life outside the annex. Sadly, the tree toppled in a storm in 2010. It is here in the attic that Anne spent much of her free time with Peter. Now closed to visitor access, the attic is viewable from mirrors placed above the ladder steps. Presumably, the ladder to and from the attic is far too dangerous for thousands of visitors to traverse.

Access - Unlike most museums that once housed someone or something special, this museum does not rope you off. You will see almost the entire building, and understand many of the perplexing descriptions of room layouts to readers of her book, especially for non-European visitors, for whom the building and room layout is very foreign. Currently, Otto Frank's personal office and the staff kitchen are off limits.

The Atmosphere - Haunting, is the word I most often have heard from fellow visitors to the museum.

Take Note - Listen to the floorboards creak as you move through the secret annex, and you will have some idea of how difficult being silent for two years was for the eight people that lived there. Also, stop and wait. Listen for the bells that chime every fifteen minutes from the Westerkerk.

Tips - The line for the Anne Frank Museum is almost something of a tourist attraction on its own - no matter the day of the week or time of the year, it is likely you will encounter a long line. Buy your tickets online directly from the Anne Frank Museum and slide right in the door designated for online ticket holders, and avoid that line. Also, be aware it is a highly emotional museum and photography is not allowed inside.

Museum Info - Ticket prices for adults is € 8,50, ages 10-17 is €4,00 with children 9 years old and under free. From September 15 through March 14, the museum hours are 9am - 7pm, with the exception of a 9pm closing on Saturdays. From March 15 through September 14m the museum is open later to accommodate the high tourist crowds with hours of 9am - 9pm daily, and staying open until 10pm on Saturdays. Visitors are allowed entrance until 30 minutes prior to closing. Also note that the museum is closed one day a year for Yom Kippur.

Other - If you haven't read the book, make sure you do before you go. If you have an interest in eyewitness accounts of events, including the chilling day of the family's arrest, check out Miep Gies - she was there from the beginning and witnessed the awful day of arrest. Though Miep passed on at the age of 100 in 2010, video interviews with her when she was in her 80s and 90s gives an amazing recount of those years.