New Anne Frank exhibit goes far beyond the diary
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Photo: Courtesy of John Halpern
Even if you've read the book or seen one of the many stage or film adaptations, a new exhibit reveals Anne Frank's story in a new way.
The big picture: "Anne Frank The Exhibition" is on display at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry through early 2027.
- Presented by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the Chicago exhibit follows its January premiere in New York.
Flashback: Anne, her older sister Margot, parents Otto and Edith, and family friends went into hiding in July 1942 in the annex of Otto Frank's business to escape the Nazis' invasion and eradication of Jewish people.
- Anne and the others were captured in 1944, and she died at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
What to expect: Visitors enter the dark, confining exhibit in timed intervals and are encouraged to use a hand-held audio guide that traces the Frank family history from Anne's parents' youth to the annex, providing detailed descriptions of the Nazis' infiltration and reign.
- Actor David Schwimmer narrates the tour.
Zoom in: The fully-furnished recreation of the annex where the Franks and their friends hid in fear is one of the most haunting parts of the exhibit.
- Details of the space — reproductions of photos, the desk where she wrote in her diary, the leather bag she carried to school and even a board game the hiders played to preserve some semblance of normalcy amid the terror — transport visitors.
What they're saying: "By stepping into the world that confined Anne and her family, visitors are invited to confront the enduring realities of antisemitism, racism and hatred — and to recognize that remembrance is not passive, but a moral act that demands empathy, vigilance and courage," Ronald Leopold from the Anne Frank House said in a press release.
If you go: Tickets are $19 for adults and $15 for children, in addition to general museum admission.
- The next free days for Illinois residents are June 4 and 19.