Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is the attraction first-time visitors ask about most, and the one they most often fail to get into. This is the actual building where Anne Frank, her family and four others hid for two years before they were betrayed and deported. If you've read the diary, much of it will feel familiar. If you haven't, the museum tells the story well enough that you'll leave understanding it.

The single most important thing to know: you can't just turn up. Tickets are sold only online, for a set date and time, and there are no ticket sales at the door. The old advice about queuing along Prinsengracht is dead. The queue doesn't exist anymore, and if the day is sold out, you're not getting in.

How to get tickets

Tickets go on sale only through the official Anne Frank House website. New tickets are released every Tuesday at 10:00 (Amsterdam time) for visits six weeks ahead, and popular slots in summer and school holidays go fast. Set a reminder for that Tuesday morning if your dates are fixed.

Prices as of 2026, each including a €1 booking fee:

• Adults: €16.50
• Ages 10 to 17: €7
• Ages 0 to 9: €1

When you book, you choose between a standard museum visit and a visit with an introductory program, a 30-minute talk in English on the history before you go in. If you don't know much about the Frank family or the occupation of the Netherlands, the introduction is worth the extra time.

Ignore resellers offering "skip the line" Anne Frank tickets. The museum's own FAQ is blunt: there is no ticket sale at the museum, and when it's sold out, it's sold out.

What you'll see inside

The route takes you through the front house, where Otto Frank's business operated, then behind the famous movable bookcase into the Secret Annex, where the eight people hid. The hiding place is more spacious than most people expect. Around it, the museum has room for displays on the Frank family, the helpers who kept them alive, and the wider persecution of Jews in the Netherlands.

There's no guided tour. Instead you get an audio tour, available in nine languages including English, which tells the story of the people in hiding and their helpers as you move through the rooms. Photography isn't allowed anywhere in the museum.

A visit takes about an hour on average. Only your entry time is fixed, so you can stay as long as you like once you're in.

Where it is and how to get there

The house itself is at Prinsengracht 263-267, on one of the prettiest stretches of the canal ring, right across from the edge of the Jordaan. The museum entrance is around the corner at Westermarkt 20, next to the Westerkerk. The building still looks more like an office than a museum from outside, so look for the entrance on Westermarkt rather than the old canal-side door.

It's about a 20-minute walk from Centraal Station. Tram works on Raadhuisstraat mean trams don't currently run past the museum, so the museum suggests taking any tram to Dam Square and walking about 10 minutes from there. It's an easy walk past the Royal Palace, and if you want to see more of that area first, our Dam Square guide covers it.

Before you go

• Bags: Only bags smaller than A4 paper can come inside. There's a free cloakroom, but no space for backpacks, suitcases or other large items, so leave luggage at your hotel or at the storage at Centraal Station.
• Kids: The museum sets a minimum age of 10 and says it isn't suitable for younger children.
• Stairs: The house has steep stairs and a high step into the annex. If mobility is a concern, read the museum's accessibility page before you book.
• Hours: Open daily from 9:00 to 22:00, with exceptions around some holidays listed on the ticket page.

If you can't get tickets

It happens, especially to people who plan a trip less than six weeks out. You still have a couple of good options. The museum's website has a free virtual tour of the Secret Annex, and its YouTube channel has short films on the hiding place, which we've included in our Amsterdam videos post.

A 15-minute train ride away, the Corrie ten Boom House in Haarlem tells the story of a family who hid Jewish people during the same occupation. Visits there are by guided tour only and need booking at least five days ahead. Back in Amsterdam, the Jewish Cultural Quarter and the National Holocaust Museum cover the wider history, and you'll find them in our guide to Amsterdam museums.

FAQ

Can I buy Anne Frank House tickets at the door?

No. All tickets are sold online through annefrank.org for a specific date and time, and none are sold at the museum.

When are new tickets released?

Every Tuesday at 10:00 Amsterdam time, for visits six weeks ahead.

Is it suitable for young children?

The museum's minimum age is 10. Ages 10 to 17 pay €7 as of 2026.

Can I take photos inside?

No. Photography isn't allowed anywhere in the museum.