Anne Frank House from Amsterdam Brings Compelling Exhibition to Chicago
The Anne Frank House, a significant cultural institution based in Amsterdam, is expanding its global educational mission with the opening of "Anne Frank The Exhibition." Set to premiere on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Griffin MSI) in Chicago, this touring exhibition offers a profound look into Anne Frank's life and the historical context of the Second World War.
This exhibition, which first launched in New York City on January 27, 2025, is designed to present Anne Frank's story within the broader events of 1929–1945. Visitors will trace her early years in Frankfurt am Main, the rise of the Nazi regime, the family’s move to Amsterdam, their period of hiding in the Annex, and the tragic sequence of events leading to her arrest, deportation, and death in Bergen-Belsen. The exhibition also acknowledges the crucial role of Otto Frank, Anne's father and the sole survivor from the Annex, in ensuring his daughter's diary and story reached a global audience.
Immersive Recreation and Historical Artifacts
A central feature of "Anne Frank The Exhibition" is a meticulously crafted, life-size reconstruction of the Secret Annex, fully furnished to evoke the environment where Anne and seven others lived in hiding for two years. Complementing this immersive setting are over 130 original items directly from the Anne Frank House collection. These include personal artifacts such as Anne Frank’s first photo album, an invitation she typed and wrote to a friend for a film screening (at a time when Jews were barred from cinemas in 1942), handwritten verses from Anne and Margot in friends’ poetry albums, and a German fairy-tale book owned by the sisters. Visitors will also encounter an accurate replica of Anne Frank’s iconic red-checkered diary; the original volumes are on permanent display at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
Promoting Empathy and Social Responsibility
The exhibition aims to foster critical thought and empathy, as articulated by Ronald Leopold, Executive Director of the Anne Frank House. He emphasizes that stepping into Anne’s world highlights the enduring presence of antisemitism, racism, and hatred today. Leopold views commemoration as an active moral duty that encourages engagement and reflection on contemporary issues, a principle mirrored by the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s commitment to accessible knowledge.
To further its educational mission, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is offering free admission to the exhibition for school groups from Chicago and across Illinois. Additionally, all students will receive a diary, encouraging them to connect with Anne’s words and recognize the power of their own voices. Further details about the exhibition and ticketing can be found on the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s website.
This initiative underscores the Anne Frank House’s dedication to sharing Anne Frank’s story and its timeless lessons worldwide. For those interested in exploring more cultural sites and historical narratives, Musemap (musemap.art) provides resources to discover museums and other points of interest. You can also view Amsterdam's cultural landscape on a map to plan your next visit.
