Do You Need to Book the Anne Frank House in Advance?

Yes, and earlier than you might think. The Anne Frank House sells tickets only through its own website, for a fixed date and time slot, and there are no sales at the door. New tickets go on sale every Tuesday at 10am CET for visits six weeks later, and the museum's own FAQ says they sell out very fast. If you know your Amsterdam dates, set a reminder for the right Tuesday.

How ticket sales work

• Online only. Tickets are sold on annefrank.org and nowhere else. There is no ticket desk at the museum.
• Timed entry. Every ticket is for a specific date and start time. Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged or refunded.
• Weekly release. Each Tuesday at 10am CET, all tickets for the corresponding day six weeks ahead become available. Work backwards from your visit date: a Saturday visit means buying on the Tuesday roughly six weeks before.
• Card payment. Payments are by bank or credit card.

What it costs

Current prices, each including a €1.00 booking fee:

• Adult: €16.50
• Youth 10 to 17: €7.00
• Child 0 to 9: €1.00
• Museumkaart holders: €1.00, but you must still book a timed ticket online. The I amsterdam City Card gives no discount.

You can also book a museum visit with a 30-minute introductory programme, in English, for ages 10 and up. It costs an extra €7.00 per ticket and the museum visit is included.

What to do if your date is sold out

The museum says plainly that there is no waiting list. Its advice is to keep checking the website for your visit date. Beyond that, your realistic options are:

• Try other days of your trip, including early morning and evening slots. The museum is open daily from 9:00 to 22:00 (with a few holiday exceptions), so late slots exist that many visitors overlook.
• Check again as your date approaches, in case tickets for your day reappear.
• Avoid resellers. Because tickets are tied to a name, date and time and are non-transferable, anything sold elsewhere is a risk.
• If you cannot get in, the museum's online and 3D tours on annefrank.org are a thoughtful fallback, and the exterior on Prinsengracht is a short stop on any canal walk.

How long to allow and how to arrive

The museum says an average visit takes about an hour, and you can stay as long as you like; only your start time is fixed. Build in extra margin to arrive, because no trams stop at Westermarkt until February 2028 due to works; trams run to Dam Square instead, which is a 10-minute walk away. From Amsterdam Central Station it is about a 20-minute walk.

Two rules catch people out: only bags smaller than an A4 sheet of paper are allowed inside (larger bags and backpacks are not accepted, so leave them at your hotel or Central Station), and no photography or filming is permitted, including camera glasses. The house has steep stairs, so check the accessibility page if that is a concern.

Planning your first trip?

The constantXplorer Amsterdam 3-day guide plans the days around this: it flags the six-week booking window up front and places the Anne Frank House in the Jordaan afternoon so the rest of the day still works whatever slot you get.