At Prinsengracht 263, a canal-side business address held the concealed annex where eight Jewish people hid from Nazi persecution. The Anne Frank House museum preserves this wartime site and the traces of its inhabitants, including the original bookcase and Anne Frank’s writings.
Quick facts
Otto Frank registered his business at Prinsengracht 263 in December 1940; the building had a front house and rear annex.
Warehouse employee Johan Voskuijl built the original hinged bookcase concealing the annex entrance in August 1942.
Anne Frank began rewriting her diary as The Secret Annex on 20 May 1944, intending to publish it after the war.
Planning your visit
The Anne Frank House preserves the setting in which eight Jewish people hid from Nazi persecution. Pay attention to the relationship between the front house and the concealed annex. The annex rooms remain unfurnished at Otto Frank's request; Anne's picture-covered wall and the original diary give the visit a personal focus without recreating a fully furnished home.
The historic address is Prinsengracht 263–267, but the museum entrance is around the corner at Westermarkt 20. Admission is through an online ticket for a specific time slot, sold on the museum's own website. Photography and filming are not permitted inside, so plan to experience the rooms without using a camera.
Read the accessibility guidance before booking. Steep stairs and a high step make the historic house and annex inaccessible to wheelchair users and may be difficult for other visitors. Parts of the modern museum are accessible with staff assistance; contact the museum to discuss an appropriate visit rather than assuming the whole route is step-free.
Sources and verification
- Anne Frank House: inside the museum
- Anne Frank House: practical information
- Anne Frank House: official tickets
- Anne Frank House: physical accessibility
Sources checked by Finding Locations using AI-assisted research. This is a source check, not a field inspection. Check the official venue information before visiting.
Get directions to Anne Frank House. Confirm the visitor entrance and current access with the venue before travelling.
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Guide
At Prinsengracht 263, the contrast between an ordinary canal-side workplace and a concealed refuge is central to the story. This was not a purpose-built memorial: it was a working property. The Dutch heritage register dates the house to 1635, with its façade and rear house dating from about 1740 and the façade altered around 1840. Like other canal properties, it joined a street-facing house to buildings behind it.
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