What is the minimum age for children to visit the Anne Frank House? Will it not be too intense for them? How do you prepare children for a visit? These questions, and more, are addressed here to ensure that everyone has the most enriching experience possible when visiting our museum.
Preparing for the Visit
To visit the Anne Frank House, we maintain a minimum age of 10 years; the museum is not suitable for younger children. Ultimately, parents must judge for themselves whether their children are ready for the subject.
Prepare for your visit by watching the following videos with your children:
This short video explains the story of Anne Frank in a clear and child-friendly way.
What would have happened if Anne had been given a vlog camera instead of a diary? This accessible video gives children an insight into life in the Secret Annex and what it meant to go into hiding. Children may even recognise elements from the video diary when they visit the Secret Annex.
During Your Visit
The story told by the Anne Frank House is profound and sorrowful. This means that the things that are shown and told in the museum can also be quite intense, especially for young children. It is important to keep this in mind during your visit. Continue to engage with your children, asking them what they see and how they feel. Some visuals are disturbing. Monitor how the children react to these and remember that it is not compulsory to finish the videos. With children, also focus on the positive aspects of the story, such as the helpers and Anne’s childhood in Amsterdam before she went into hiding.
Audio Tour for Children
During the museum visit, we recommend that children listen to the Anne’s Story audio tour. A free audio tour is available for all visitors, but Anne’s Story was created especially for children between 10 and 15 years old. The story is told from Anne’s perspective.
After the Visit
It is important to discuss the visit afterwards with the children. They may have questions about what they saw in the museum. Focus on a positive aspect: Anne’s dream of becoming a writer has come true and her diary is world-famous.