When should we visit the Anne Frank House?

It is almost always a mistake to schedule something you consider a "must see" on arrival day. There are so many variables that may impact your journey. Perhaps it would work out just fine. However, if this is important to you, don't risk it. Put it in for the next day just in case.

We had a first-of-the-morning visit a couple of weeks ago. We got there about 15 minutes before the museum opened and had the first two spots in the line. We then headed in efficiently - didn't store any coats - grabbed our audioguides and went in. We were the only people in the Hiding Place - the other early entry people were behind us a room or two - and it was quite spectacular to be in there alone - even if it was just for a few minutes. It was quite the contrast to the other time I was there, which was pretty crowded.

The morning after your arrival would be best timing. I highly recommend everyone reading The Diary of Anne Frank prior to visiting the house. Without this background it is just another museum. Maybe you could do a boat trip on the canals when you arrive letting someone else do the driving and narration. Easy on everyone. Just pick one art museum to round out the second day. It will be crowded. We liked the Van Gough(sp?) museum.

I wouldn't visit the Anne Frank House on arrival day. It's an emotionally draining experience as it is without being sleep deprived. I booked the opening time and it was noticeably more crowded when we left.

Thank you for the quick and helpful responses. It seems Tuesday is the way to go. I figured this was what you all would recommend but wanted to be sure. A couple more questions now:
1. I will try to get the first tickets of the day on Tuesday but have read about how fast those go. If I cannot reserve early morning, is there another time of day that should be our second choice? We will be taking the train to Leiden in the evening, so the last time slots of the day are out.
2. For planning other activities for our arrival day, how much time should we expect between the plane's arrival and getting onto the bus at Schiphol? Passport control, getting through the airport, luggage, finding bus, etc. A lot has surely changed since my husband and I each last traveled abroad, We were in high school and are decades past that now!

In April, we flew Icelandair through Rekjavik from Seattle and our connecting flight to Amsterdam was delayed by over 2 hours, so we were very happy not to have had anything planned for our arrival afternoon involving timed tickets

Our Anne Frank House experience was similarly positive to Valerie’s. 9:00 am tickets, arrived early to be first in line and had rooms to ourselves for much of our visit. It is a small museum, with small spaces and took maybe an hour to get through. We appreciated the opportunity to have quiet and solitude in this solemn space.

For about 30 minutes after our visit, we sat in the museum cafe overlooking the entrance area. There was a steady line of maybe 50 - 75 people including individuals, adult tour groups and school groups.

No crystal ball, but I estimate 45 minutes from deplaning to bus. Let me know if I hit it right……..

There is a waffle place net to the Anne Frank House. It looked really good. We were there in the late afternoon and didn’t need food.

https://pancakes.amsterdam/about/locations/westermarkt

I side with other posters. Go to Anne Frank house after a good nights sleep. The house has steep staircases (typical of Amsterdam houses) and being 100% will allow everyone to be present and experience history.

All right, it's settled. Most definitely going to be at the computer at 4 a.m. to get tickets for Tuesday morning, the day after arrival. Jen, we are also flying Icelandair, so I will be prepared for a possible delay. I would be much too nervous if that happened, and we had tickets later that day. Maybe the waffle place Mo mentioned could be an incentive to get my kids up and moving in the morning. Carol, I sure hope your estimate of 45 minutes is much closer than my guess. I was afraid we would be looking at something closer to 3 hours. Hopefully that is way off!

There's a pancake house next door that we liked called Pancakes Amsterdam Westermarkt. They give you a keychain when you leave 😊

Shellden1, one of the advantages of flying Icelandair is that you go through passport control/clear immigration in Reykjavik (KEF). Since both Iceland and The Netherlands are within the Schengen area, flying KEF to AMS is like flying domestic. When you land in Amsterdam you walk off the plane, collect your luggage (if you’ve checked any) and find your way out and to your bus. That’s a serious time and stress saver.

My best tip for getting the time you want at Anne Frank House, besides getting up at 4:00 am, is to familiarize yourself with the website and ticket buying process before your purchase day. Good luck! Have a great trip.

This is all so helpful! I will most definitely be using these suggestions. Thank you!

JenS, I appreciate the info about passport control being in Iceland rather than the Netherlands. While this means we will be slightly rushed for our connection in Reykjavik, we will have more time to explore Amsterdam. This makes me very happy! I have been making practice purchases of the tickets for the past several days to be sure I know exactly what to do in (exactly!) eight hours. I am hoping to get at least a couple of hours of sleep before the rush for the earliest time slot begins!

Passport control in Reykjavik is relatively easy and low stress. It’s a small airport with many connecting flights so they have a very efficient process to get you through and onto your next plane. The gate waiting areas are small and can be crowded, that would be most flyers’ complaint.

Woo hoo! We got them - 9:00 am the day after arrival.
JenS, good to know about the airport in Iceland. I will relax...a little!
Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

Yay! Have a wonderful trip.