Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is one of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam.

Many of us have read her diaries, usually in school, but for those who have not, I encourage you to do so. The diaries of a Jewish family in hiding from Nazi occupied Amsterdam make for tremendous storytelling. With the war as a backdrop, it is also interesting to read about the normal dilemmas faced by an adolescent such as themes of boyfriends and love.

Anne Frank House is about a fifteen minute walk from the centre of Amsterdam and takes you through a very nice part of town well worth a walk anyway.

The front of the house features a very modern extension - at first you might feel that the spirit of the original house has been ruined by modernity, but when you consider the thousands of visitors that pass through each year, then you will concede that some changes were essential. Luckily, the interior is largely unchanged.

Several times that I have passed by, there has been a line of waiting people extending around the block yet on other occasions there has not been a single person waiting outside. I understand that it is best to avoid Anne Frank House in the summer as there are many visiting schoolchildren at this time - better to go during the low season.

The interior of the house has been largely preserved - the legendary bookcase is half open as you enter the secret annex. Inside, you can find various living quarters with a few personal effects left. The place is eerily quiet and perhaps many visitors feel embarrassed to talk out of an irrational fear of offending someone.

Even if you have no interest in the war and those in hiding, the Anne Frank House is a great way to see how people used to live around seventy years ago. For instance, the toilet has an embroidered china look to it - strangely enough, I found this fascinating!

The final section of the house contains video recordings of interviews from Jews who experienced the Nazi regime as well as a guestbook that one can flick through and add to if you so wish.

All in all, for such a small house, there are lots of interesting holes, nooks and crannies to inspect. I spent a decent amount of time in there and felt it was value for money. I would recommend that every visitor to Amsterdam check out the Anne Frank House.