The Anne Frankhuis is a must do while in Amsterdam. We have all read the diary, now take time to experience her life first hand. Our generation many never live through such a horrible period of time again, but this museum serves as a glimpse of our haunting past. As you wonder through the small rooms you get a intimate introduction to the story that most have once read. Each room has be recreated to represent its original details. As you walk up the narrow staircase, past the secret book case you become part of the story.

Each room features a looping film featuring a story of Anne or her family. Many of the dialogues address issues of hobbies, lifestyles, and stories from friends and relatives. In Anne's room you get a glimpse of the things that Anne saw everyday: her window peering onto to the street below, pictures of her favorite movie stars, and three other beds. The Anne Frank museum gives you the opportunity to step out of your normal routine and implants you in another time and place. This experience will open your eyes and heart to a life other than your own.

Apart from touring the house there is a usually a exhibition on display. These range from freedom of speech to Jewish history displays. At the museum there is also a exhibit featuring her diary in every language ever published. This collection draws attention the the wide knowledge of Anne's story and its impact around the globe.BR>
Overall I would recommend this activity to everyone. It is a must-do while in Amsterdam. Some parts of the house may be slightly difficult for some to visit due to steep stairs and narrow halls, however there is special assistance available for those who may need it.

Also at this location is a gift shop, cafe, and information desk. The bathrooms are also kept very clean.
The museum is open daily from 9am to 7pm. The entrance fee is €7.50 for adults and  €3.50 for youth. Age 9 and under is admitted for free. I would suggest arriving early in the morning to avoid long lines. While waiting in line beware of pick pocketers. Pickpocketing is a great problem in Amsterdam, and even more where tourists congregate. While you are waiting in line take a few minutes to talk to the street artist that keeps an eye out for pickpocketers.

A great website to visit for more information is annefrank.org.

The Anne Frank House totally lived up to its expectations for me, and then some. I think that one of the best parts was that it wasn't too intense or dramatic as I had imagined it to be. So I left there feeling touched and moved, but not depressed. Anyway, although you end up moving around with the same group of people more or less, you do have some freedom to go at your own pace, which is very important when seeing such an important piece of world history.

It's really one of the hardest places for me to describe, as it is exactly what it claims to be: the house where Anne Frank was hiding away with her family. There are pictures throughout and some of the furniture is set up the way it was back then. One of the most impressive parts is the door that leads you up to the hidden home of the Franks. When closed, it mimics a bookcase, and when open, you can see the tightly kept narrow staircase that goes up to the attic/home. The rooms are kept a bit as they would have been during the time of the war, and you can see how the walls were decorated in the room of a teen girl who, although in hiding, was still very much a teenage girl. There are stories about the house and the family, and in the last section of the tour you meet other survivors and their stories through audio and visual footage. You're brought even more into the lives of those who could not bask in the sun if they wanted to.

It was certainly a glimpse back in time, and a great place to reflect and learn. When you come out of the tour, there are a couple different exhibits dedicated to tolerance in general. There are interactive pieces for kids AND adults to play with, as well as videos to watch. The gift shop has a nice collection of postcards and things as well. After the tour, we took a moment to absorb what we had seen along the beautiful canal that runs along in front of the house. Just be aware of what time you are going. It is suggested that you go later or earlier, as you will come upon lines.

I find it very difficult to manage my emotions while exploring the house. I keep asking myself, "How could such horrible things happen? Why are they still happening? Why do I feel so powerless to do anything about it?" I've seen the movie and I've read excerpts from the diary, but this tour of the house is far more moving.

The actual hiding place written about in her diary was located in her father's office building at 263 Prinsengracht. Like so many houses on the Amsterdam canals, the building consists of a canal-side house and an annex.

The rooms in the annex are maintained in their authentic state. The rooms are empty, because the furniture was carted away after the raid. Salvaged documents and objects belonging to the eight people who were hiding are on display in the annex.

The front part of the house, where people worked every day, is set up as if it were 1942. As we explore the house, we realize that we are being guided through the building and told the story with quotes from Anne's diary. All the displays are authentically from the 1940s, if not actually from the house. At different spots on the tour, we see three short videos that help put the events and the diary's entries in context.

I lose it when I see the videotapes of her father talking about the diary and his daughter. She was just a young girl, yet she was forced to hole up for 2 years and eventually died in a concentration camp. I just don't get it! I also realize how brave the Dutch people who covered for them were. I wonder if I would be as brave. I don't know.

The last exhibit takes the edge off. It's an interactive presentation about Neo-Nazism and the freedom of speech. The problem is that it is too abstract and too long. It becomes boring after about 10 minutes, so I move on to the bookstore and café. Pam and I have cappuccinos, and I watch the other patrons enjoying themselves. As I decompress, I wonder if they, especially the young ones, are touched by what they have seen or are just part of a tour, following a guidebook, or tagging along with their folks and thinking that it is just another museum. I hope not, but I think so.

You can learn much more about the house and the museum at http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?pid=1&lid=2.