Born into a close-knit Jewish family to Otto and Edith Frank.
About Anne Frank: Her life, legacy & Amsterdam’s Secret Annex
Who was Anne Frank?
Anne Frank was a German-born Jewish girl who documented her two years in hiding during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam in her famous diary. Today, millions visit Amsterdam to explore the Secret Annex and the neighborhood where her family sought refuge.
Anne Frank's story, the Secret Annex, and how to experience her legacy in Amsterdam
Key milestones in Anne Frank’s life
Why experiencing Anne Frank’s story in Amsterdam matters
Reading about Anne Frank is moving, but standing near Merwedeplein, where she played as a young girl, or walking past the Westerkerk, whose chimes gave her comfort in hiding, adds an indispensable human layer to her legacy.
Top-rated Anne Frank guided tours in Amsterdam
| Tour name | Duration | Highlights | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
Small-group walking tour | 1.5–3 hours | In-depth historical guide, Secret Annex exterior, Jewish Quarter | €14.71 |
Walking tour + canal cruise | 3 hours total | Guided walking tour + 1-hour sightseeing canal cruise | €23.97 |
Jordaan & Leidseplein tour | 3 hours | Explores WWII history, local culture, and landmark monuments | €25.00 |
Key historic landmarks included in walking tours:
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The Secret Annex external grounds (Prinsengracht)
Understand how the warehouse functioned and how helpers like Miep Gies smuggled food and supplies inside.
The Jewish Cultural Quarter & Portuguese Synagogue
Learn about Amsterdam’s rich Jewish history prior to WWII and the impact of the occupation.
The Holocaust Memorial & Shadow Wall
Honor the memories of the victims and understand the broader historical context of wartime Netherlands.
Westerkerk bell tower
The church clock that Anne mentioned frequently in her diary as her primary connection to time.
Can't get tickets to the Anne Frank House?
Museum tickets sell out weeks in advance, but you can still experience her history. Guided walking tours take you through the neighborhood where she grew up, the exterior of the Secret Annex, and key WWII sites with an expert guide.
Check walking tour dates & availability
How Anne’s story reached the world
- 1945: Otto Frank survives Auschwitz and receives Anne’s diary pages from Miep Gies.
- 1947: Het Achterhuis ("The Secret Annex") is published in the Netherlands in a modest edition of 3,036 copies.
- 1952: English translation published as The Diary of a Young Girl, launching the story globally.
- Today: Translated into over 70 languages with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide.
On walking tours, guides share the fascinating story of Miep Gies hiding these manuscript pages in her desk drawer right across from where the tour starts. Book your spot on the tour
Anne Frank in popular culture
- The Diary of Anne Frank (1955): The 1955 Broadway play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett portrays the tension, fear, and daily life inside the Annex.
- The Diary of Anne Frank (1959): The 1959 film adaptation directed by George Stevens brought Anne’s diary and hidden life to international audiences.
- Anne Frank: The Graphic Diary of a Young Girl: This illustrated adaptation transforms her diary into visual storytelling, making Anne’s thoughts and feelings accessible for younger readers.
- Anne Frank Remembered (1995): This Emmy-winning documentary by Jon Blair uses interviews and archival footage to show Anne’s life through survivor memories.
- Young adult inspired books: Books like The Hidden Life of Otto Frank and Anne Frank: The Biography explore her story for teenage readers.
- The Diary of Anne Frank (2001): This TV film starring Ben Kingsley and Hannah Taylor-Gordon retells Anne’s story with historical accuracy and emotional depth.
- Where is Anne Frank (2021): Ari Folman’s imaginative animated feature follows Kitty, the imaginary friend to whom Anne addressed her diary entries, navigating modern Amsterdam.
- A Small Light (2023): An acclaimed biographical miniseries focusing on Miep Gies, the brave employee of Otto Frank who helped hide the family and saved Anne's diary pages.
- What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank: Adapted from Nathan Englander’s Pulitzer Prize-finalist short story collection, this dark comedy-drama play uses Anne Frank’s memory as a lens to explore modern Jewish identity, personal belief, historical trauma, and friendship in a deeply human, provocative way. Book tickets
Frequently asked questions about Anne Frank & Amsterdam tours
A brave group of Otto Frank's employees, including Miep Gies, Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman, and Bep Voskuijl, risked their lives daily to provide food, books, news, and emotional support to the eight people in hiding.
She was thirteen years old when her family moved into the Secret Annex in Amsterdam.
No, she wrote until her arrest; the diary remains unfinished but captures her thoughts and experiences fully.
Her diary has been translated into more than seventy languages for readers worldwide.
Miep Gies saved the diary and notebooks, giving them to Otto Frank after the war ended.
Most adaptations follow the diary closely, though some scenes are dramatized for storytelling purposes.
Yes, the Secret Annex rooms are preserved, with original walls and spaces kept as they were.
She wrote stories, essays, and letters, many of which were included in later editions of her diary.
Yes, it is a museum in Amsterdam with preserved rooms, exhibitions, and educational programs for visitors.
No, walking tours do not include entrance tickets to the interior of the Secret Annex (Anne Frank House), as museum tickets are sold exclusively through the official museum portal weeks in advance. However, guided walking tours provide essential historical context, guiding you through the exterior grounds, neighborhood landmarks, and wartime history that you cannot get inside the museum alone.
Tours cover approximately 1.5 to 2.5 kilometers of gentle walking along Amsterdam’s historic canals and paved roadways, suitable for all standard mobility levels.
