Culture
by Katerina Papathanasiou

Anne Frank’s Secret Annex Exhibit Debuts in NYC

Black-and-white photograph of a young Anne Frank smiling, with short, wavy hair, wearing a light-colored jacket. Her expression is joyful and her gaze is directed slightly to the side.
A timeless portrait of Anne Frank, whose diary has become a powerful symbol of courage and humanity. Shared by the Anne Frank House, this photo reminds us of the young girl behind the historic pages, whose spirit lives on in Amsterdam and around the world.

The Anne Frank House opened to the public on May 3, 1960, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Since then, millions of people have toured the home where 13-year-old Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis, who were intent on locating and persecuting Jewish citizens.

A visit to the Anne Frank House is as educational as it is emotional—around every corner lies an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Anne’s story and its reflection of the horrors of the Holocaust.

Until now, the only way to tour the Anne Frank House was by traveling to Amsterdam. For the first time—and in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day—the Anne Frank House is preparing to debut Anne Frank: The Exhibition in the heart of New York City’s Union Square.

According to the exhibit’s official website, “The exhibit includes a first-of-its-kind, full-scale recreation of the complete Annex, furnished as it would have been when Anne and her family went into hiding.”

Reconstructed movable bookcase that concealed the entrance to Anne Frank's Secret Annex, built by Johannes Voskuijl in 1942
The reconstructed movable bookcase that concealed the entrance to the Secret Annex, built in 1942 by Johannes Voskuijl, father of Bep Voskuijl. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

The immersive exhibition is suitable for visitors ages 10 and up who want to learn about Anne Frank—her life, her death, and her famous diary. Translated into more than 75 languages, Anne Frank’s diary speaks to the trauma endured by Jewish people during World War II, while her story highlights the importance of tolerance, empathy, and love.

Pages 92–93 of Anne Frank's original diary on display at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, showing handwritten entries in Dutch
Pages 92–93 of Anne Frank’s original diary, on display at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Photo by Heather Cowper, licensed under Creative Commons (CC-BY), via Wikimedia Commons. Credit: Heather on her Travels.

The exhibit, housed in 7,500 square feet of gallery space, will feature more than 100 original artifacts from the Anne Frank House, including some that have never been displayed before. These items invite visitors to see Anne Frank through a multifaceted lens. Anne Frank was more than a Jewish diarist in hiding; she was—and remains—a symbol of human resilience and an inspiration to people from all walks of life.

For more information about Anne Frank: The Exhibition, please visit www.annefrankexhibit.org. Presented by the Anne Frank House and hosted by the Center for Jewish History in New York City at 15 West 16th Street, the exhibition will also include public programming and educational initiatives, with details to be announced as they become available.

The exhibit is scheduled to open on January 27, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation.