The Anne Frank House, one of the most visited historical sites in Europe, announced the upcoming opening of “Anne Frank The Exhibition” in New York City. For the first time in history, it will present a pioneering experience outside of Amsterdam to immerse visitors in a full-scale re-creation of the rooms where Anne Frank, her parents, sister, and four other Jews spent two years hiding to evade Nazi capture.
As a nonprofit organization helping to shape global understanding of the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance, including lessons on modern-day antisemitism, racism and discrimination, the Anne Frank House is entrusted with the preservation of the Annex where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II. This exhibition, presented in partnership with the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, will open on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jan. 27, to mark the 80th commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz.
The exhibition is a first-of-its-kind, full-scale recreation of the complete Annex, furnished as it would have been when Anne and her family were forced into hiding. Moving through the exhibition, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the context that shaped Anne’s life—from her early years in Frankfurt, Germany through the rise of the Nazi regime and the family’s 1934 move to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where Anne lived for 10 years until her 1944 arrest, through to her deportation to Westerbork, a large transit camp in the Netherlands, then on to Auschwitz-Birkenau, a concentration camp and killing center in Nazi-occupied Poland, and eventually, to her death in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany when she was just 15-years-old.
Designed for audiences who may not have the opportunity to visit the Netherlands, the new exhibition in New York is anticipated to draw extraordinary attendance for what will be among the most important presentations of Jewish historical content on view in the United States.
Through the recreated Annex; exhibition galleries immersing visitors in place and history through video, sound, photography and animation; and more than 100 original collection items from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the exhibition will provide an opportunity to learn about Anne Frank not as a victim but through the multifaceted lens of her life—as a girl, a writer, and a symbol of resilience and strength. This is a story inspired by one of the most translated books in the world.
The New York exhibition will occupy more than 7,500 square feet of gallery space in the heart of Union Square. This marks the first time dozens of artifacts will be seen in the United States; many have never been seen in public.
Artifacts in the exhibition will include:
- Anne Frank’s first photo album (1929-1942);
- Anne Frank’s typed and handwritten invitation to her friend for a film screening in her home (by 1942, anti-Jewish measures prohibited Jews from attending the cinema); and
- Handwritten verses by Anne Frank in her friends’ poetry albums.
Ronald Leopold, executive director of the Anne Frank House, said: “Anne Frank’s words resonate and inspire today, a voice we carry to all corners of the world, nearly eight decades later. 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,” Leopold said. “Through this exhibition, the Anne Frank House offers insights into how this could have happened and what it means for us today. The exhibition provides perspectives, geared toward younger generations, that are certain to deepen our collective understanding of Anne Frank and hopefully provide a better understanding of ourselves.”
He continued, “By bringing this exhibition to New York—a place with many ties to Anne’s story—the Anne Frank House is expanding the reach of our work to encourage more people to remember Anne Frank, reflect on her life story, and respond by standing against antisemitism and hatred in their own communities.”
Gavriel Rosenfeld, president of the Center for Jewish History, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the Anne Frank House on this landmark exhibition. As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in January, Anne Frank’s story becomes more urgent than ever. In a time of rising antisemitism, her diary serves as both a warning and a call to action, reminding us of the devastating impact of hatred. This exhibition challenges us to confront these dangers head-on and honor the memory of those lost in the Holocaust.”
The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of many philanthropic foundations and individuals. These partnerships ensure that the exhibition will be available to as many students as possible throughout the New York City region. Advising the Anne Frank House on the New York exhibition is Michael S. Glickman, CEO of jMUSE. Dr. Doyle Stevick, executive director of the Anne Frank House’s official partner at the University of South Carolina, is the educational adviser.
The limited engagement is scheduled to close on April 30, 2025. Public programming and educational initiatives tied to the exhibition will be announced when the exhibition opens to the public.
“Anne Frank The Exhibition” is showing at the Center for Jewish History at 15 W. 16th St., New York, N.Y. It will be open Sunday through Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (It will be closed on Saturdays). The exhibition is designed for children (ages 10 and older) and adults. Visitors should plan to spend about one hour at the exhibition.
Tickets are available at: AnneFrankExhibit.org.