First full-scale recreation of Anne Frank annex opens in NYC
All photos courtesy of John Halpern
One of Europe’s most visited historical sites has come to New York City. Coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, “Anne Frank The Exhibition” opened at the Center for Jewish History on Monday, marking the first full-scale recreation of the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family spent two years hiding during World War II. Through a mix of artifacts, photos and videos, sound clips, and a replica of the annex, the stirring exhibit covers Anne’s early years in Frankfurt and the rise of the Nazis, her move to Amsterdam, and her arrest, deportation, and death at a concentration camp in Germany at age 15.
The exhibition takes up 7,500 square feet of gallery space inside the Center for Jewish History, at 15 West 16th Street in Union Square. Through floor-to-ceiling photos, visitors are immersed in the historical context of the era and Anne’s life, starting in Frankfurt and through the family’s move to Amsterdam following the rise of the Nazi regime.
The installation includes over 100 original artifacts, many of which have never been displayed publicly, including a Dutch version of the Monopoly board game, handwritten poetry verses, and a rejection letter from Viking publishers to Otto Frank, who sought to publish her diary as a book.
The Diary of Anne Frank remains one of the most translated books in the world; part of the exhibit shows the worldwide reach of Anne’s story with over 70 editions of the book in different languages on display.
Together with the Center for Jewish History, the exhibit was created by Ronald Leopold, executive director of the Anne Frank House, and Tom Brink, head of collections and presentations at the Anne Frank House.
“Anne Frank’s words resonate and inspire today, a voice we carry to all corners of the world, nearly eight decades later,” Leopold said. “As a custodian of Anne’s legacy, we have an obligation to help world audiences understand the historical roots and evolution of antisemitism, including how it fueled Nazi ideology that led to the Holocaust.”
“Anne’s legacy is remarkable, as represented in the diary she left us, and as one of the 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered at the hands of Nazi officials and their collaborators. Through this exhibition, the Anne Frank House offers insights into how this could have happened and what it means for us today.”
Unlike the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the exhibition in New York is furnished, recreating what the annex looked like when the Frank family lived there from 1942 to 1944. The recreation puts museum-goers inside the roughly 450-square-foot space where the Franks and four other Jews lived, with an accurate representation of furniture and their possessions.
Anne’s room, which she shared with Dr. Fritz Pfeffer, includes copies of the photos and postcards she put on the walls, providing a look at her interests as a teenager: Hollywood stars, art, and members of the Royal Family. A recreation of her famous red-checkered diary sits on a desk.
The exhibition is designed for children ages 10 and older and adults. Since launching sales last year, the museum has already sold tens of thousands of tickets and hundreds of school tours have been booked. Free admission will be provided to New York City public schools as well as schools receiving Title 1 funding.
Anne Frank The Exhibition will run through April 30. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Timed entry costs $21 for adults Monday through Friday and $27 on Sundays and holidays. Flex tickets start at $34 during the week and $48 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased here.
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