Anne Frank House
During our very short, last minute stay, we were unable to get tickets to tour the Anne Frank House. This sober tour of the tiny apartments where teen diarist Ann Frank's Jewish family was hidden during Nazi Occupation is very popular and at this time, admission is only by online advance ticketing. Tickets become available 2 months in advance of the date you wish to visit. Usually, you will be held in a waiting queue online before you can even access the calendar. You'll see a high number waiting ahead of you, but don't panic because it moves quickly when folks realize their time and dates are sold out and they leave the site. You'll need to select your date and time, number of tickets and be prepared to pay for your tickets in the cart immediately, or lose your place.
Understandably, such a popular and tiny place can only accommodate a small number of visitors at a time. Instead of feeling discouraged if you aren't able to obtain tickets, go experience any of these other sights that seek to educate about Judaism or memorialize Jews who were murdered during the period of Nazi occupation; The Jewish Historical Museum, the traditional Jewish Quarter, the small Anne Frank statue at Prinsengracht 281 near the Westerkerk. We were also told by our context guide, Sabry (who is also an expert in Jewish tourism in Amsterdam) that the Portuguese Synagogue in the Old Side is one of the most beautiful 17th century wooden buildings in Amsterdam.