Prioritize this visit if you seek a profound, somber connection to WWII history and the personal legacy of Anne Frank. Walking through the actual Secret Annex offers an atmospheric, unvarnished look at life in hiding that remains one of the most moving experiences in the city; it is essential for those who value historical integrity and quiet reflection.
Skip it if you have limited mobility or suffer from claustrophobia, as the original staircases are exceptionally steep and the spaces are very confined.
If you are traveling with very young children who may struggle with the required silence or if you failed to secure tickets weeks in advance, the Dutch Resistance Museum serves as a more accessible alternative for historical context.
The physical reality of the annex is its most striking feature, but also its biggest constraint. The stairs are exceptionally steep and narrow, making it unsuitable for those with limited mobility, and the lack of furniture in the rooms requires visitors to rely on the audio guide to visualize the past.
It is a somber, hushed environment where photography is strictly prohibited to maintain the solemnity of the site.
This experience resonates most with those who have a personal connection to the diary or a strong interest in Holocaust history. If you are looking for a fast-paced attraction or a visually dense museum, the minimalist and empty nature of the rooms might feel underwhelming. It is a place for quiet reflection rather than traditional sightseeing.
Editor's Note: Secure your booking exactly six weeks out to avoid missing one of Amsterdam's most limited-capacity sites.
Anne Frank House
Amsterdam
Netherlands
EUR
There is essentially only one way to enter the Secret Annex, and that is through a pre-booked time-slot ticket purchased directly from the official museum website. You have two main choices: the standard entry or the entry plus a 30-minute introductory program.
The introductory program is highly recommended if you want a deeper historical context before walking through the rooms, as it covers the history of the Frank family and the Holocaust in the Netherlands.
The most common mistake travelers make is looking for tickets a few days before their trip. Tickets are released every Tuesday at 10:00 CET for visits six weeks in advance. If you do not book during these windows, you will likely find the museum fully booked for your entire stay.
Because the museum operates on a strict time-slot system, the number of people inside is always controlled. However, the atmosphere changes throughout the day. The evening slots, specifically after 19:00, are the best for those seeking a more somber and reflective experience.
The house stays open until 22:00, and the later hours generally feel less rushed than the mid-morning peak.
For photographers, note that photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum to protect the original items and maintain the solemn atmosphere. If you want to capture the exterior of the house on the Prinsengracht canal without crowds, arrive shortly after sunrise before the first time-slots begin.
The Anne Frank House is famously not included in the I amsterdam City Card. If you have a Museumkaart (Netherlands Museum Pass), entry is technically free, but you are still required to book a specific time slot online in advance and pay a small 1.00 EUR booking fee.
Discounted rates are available for children and youths. Children aged 0 to 9 pay only the 1.00 EUR booking fee, while those aged 10 to 17 receive a significant reduction compared to the adult price. There are no specific "combo" tickets that bundle the house with canal cruises or other museums, as the house manages its own inventory exclusively.
Inside the house itself, there are no traditional guided tours. Every visitor receives a high-quality audio guide (available in English and several other languages) that triggers automatically as you move through the rooms. This is more than sufficient for most visitors to understand the story and the significance of the artifacts.
A guided walking tour makes sense if it takes place *outside* the museum. Many professional guides offer "Life of Anne Frank" walking tours through the Jewish Quarter and the Jordaan neighborhood.
These are excellent for understanding the city Anne lived in before she went into hiding, but remember that these tours almost never include actual entry to the house. You should book a walking tour for the morning and your museum entry for the late afternoon to get the full narrative arc.
Demand is consistently high due to mandatory pre-booked time slots, with peak crowds on weekends and during midday.
Mini-calculator based on crowd levels by day and time.
This day is usually noticeably busy. This slot has a higher chance of a comfortable visit: Slightly quieter morning slots.
The entrance is located in the modern glass building on the Westermarkt square, rather than the historic door at Prinsengracht 263. Visitors often wait by the canal-side door by mistake, but that serves only as the exit.
You should arrive at the glass entrance precisely at the time indicated on your ticket, as entry is managed in strict intervals to prevent crowding in the narrow corridors.
Upon entering the modern wing, you will pass through a security check and ticket scanning area. Because the secret annex is very small and the stairs are exceptionally steep, the museum cannot accommodate large bags, suitcases, or strollers.
There are no lockers for luggage on-site, so you must store large items at your accommodation or at a central luggage facility before arriving.
The museum is divided into a modern wing and the original historic house. While the modern section is fully accessible, the Secret Annex features exceptionally steep and narrow staircases. These original stairs are not accessible for wheelchairs or visitors with significant mobility constraints.
The experience is designed as a somber, quiet walk-through; expect tight spaces and a steady flow of people moving in one direction.
Entry is only possible with a pre-booked digital ticket for a specific time slot. There is no physical ticket desk at the museum, so you must have your booking confirmed before arrival. Most visitors spend between 60 and 90 minutes inside.
A free cloakroom is available for coats, umbrellas, and small bags. However, the museum cannot accommodate large items. Only bags smaller than an A4 sheet of paper (roughly 30 x 21 x 10 cm) are allowed inside the galleries.
There is no storage space for suitcases, large backpacks, or strollers. Strollers must be left in a designated area at the entrance and cannot be taken through the historic house due to the narrow passages. If you are traveling with luggage, you should use the storage lockers at Amsterdam Centraal station before your visit.
Start the morning at the Anne Frank House before stepping next door into the historic Westerkerk. Spend the midday exploring the boutique-filled 9 Streets and stop for lunch at the Pancake Bakery. Dedicate the afternoon to wandering the quiet residential canals of the Jordaan, finishing with a famous slice of apple pie at Winkel 43 near the Noordermarkt.
The canal house at Prinsengracht 263 was originally the business office of Otto Frank. In 1942, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family and four others went into hiding in a concealed section of the building known as the Secret Annex.
They lived behind a movable bookcase for over two years, maintaining strict silence during working hours to avoid discovery by the warehouse staff below.
Anne Frank recorded her experiences and inner thoughts in a diary during this period of confinement. After the group was discovered in 1944 and deported to concentration camps, Otto Frank became the sole survivor. He eventually published the diary, transforming the annex from a secret hiding place into a global symbol of the Holocaust and human resilience.
The museum keeps the Secret Annex in its original, empty state at the request of Otto Frank. This lack of furniture serves as a stark representation of the void left by the millions of victims who did not survive the war.
Today, the house is a site of reflection, connecting visitors directly to the personal reality of history through the very rooms where Anne Frank wrote her legacy.
Anne Frank House
Amsterdam
Museum
Partial accessibility; Secret Annex is stairs-only.
Recommended for ages 10 and up.
The modern section of the museum, including the entrance, exhibition halls, and cafe, is fully accessible to wheelchair users. However, the Secret Annex—the historic hiding place—is located in an old canal house with extremely steep, narrow stairs and no elevator.
Visitors with limited mobility who cannot climb these stairs can access a 3D Virtual Reality tour in the museum's dedicated VR space to experience the rooms of the Annex.
Strollers and prams are not allowed inside the museum galleries or the Secret Annex due to the very narrow corridors and tight spaces. You must leave your stroller in the free cloakroom area near the entrance.
While there is no official minimum age, the museum is best suited for children aged 10 and older who can engage with the historical context and maintain the required quiet atmosphere.
Children aged 0 to 9 pay only a 1 EUR booking fee for entry. Visitors aged 10 to 17 qualify for a reduced ticket price of 7 EUR, while the adult fare is 16 EUR. All visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times during the visit.
Note that the museum is often crowded and requires a slow walking pace, which may be challenging for very young children.
Restrooms are located in the modern entrance area and near the museum cafe. Access is free for all ticket holders. Note that there are no toilet facilities within the historic Secret Annex itself to preserve the original structure.
The Museum Cafe, situated on the ground floor, offers a quiet space with views over the Prinsengracht canal. It serves a selection of coffee, tea, juices, and light lunch options like sandwiches and snacks in a casual, modern setting.
A dedicated museum shop is located at the end of the tour. Its inventory is focused on education and history, featuring various editions of Anne Frank's diary in dozens of languages, along with historical biographies and books regarding World War II.
Standard tourist souvenirs like postcards or trinkets are not sold here out of respect for the site's history.
* Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available in the modern sections of the museum, including the entrance hall and cafe. Signal is limited or unavailable inside the historic house. * Cloakroom: A free cloakroom is mandatory for umbrellas and any bags larger than an A4 sheet of paper.
Space is limited, so avoid bringing large backpacks or luggage. * Water and Food: There are no water fountains on-site. Consumption of outside food and drink is prohibited within the museum rooms. * Family Services: A baby-changing station is available in the modern wing.
Due to the extremely narrow and steep stairs in the historic house, strollers are not permitted beyond the entrance and must be left in the cloakroom.