Queen Máxima to visit Anne Frank exhibition in New York
On the morning of 25 February Her Majesty Queen Máxima will visit ‘Anne Frank – The Exhibition’ at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, New York City. The exhibition looks at the life of Anne Frank (1929-1945) in the context of the Second World War and the persecution of the Jews. The centrepiece is a full-scale reconstruction of the Annex, where Anne Frank, her parents and sister and four other Jewish people were in hiding.
Queen Máxima will be shown around the exhibition by Ronald Leopold, the executive director of the Anne Frank House. Arranged as a chronological journey, the exhibition features a photo exhibit tracing Anne Frank's childhood in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the rise of the Nazi regime and her family's move to Amsterdam, life in Amsterdam in 1940-1942, the period in hiding in the Annex (1942–1944), the Holocaust in Europe, and her father Otto Frank's return to the Netherlands. It concludes with the publication of Anne’s diary and its adaptation for stage and film in the United States.
The exhibition sheds light on the historical roots and evolution of antisemitism, the Holocaust and what it means for us today. There are video projections and films, sound clips, photographs and more than a hundred original objects from the collection, including Anne Frank’s first photo album and handwritten verses by Anne and Margot in their friends' poetry albums. The Annex reconstruction is furnished with authentic period furniture. The exhibition also describes the family's connections with the United States, in particular Otto Frank's ties to New York.
Following the tour Queen Máxima will speak with students from Great Neck North High School, NY, who are attending as part of their curriculum. Many schools in New York State incorporate Anne Frank’s story into their curriculum for students in middle and high school, with a view to enhancing their historical awareness. Educators encourage reflection on themes such as prejudice, discrimination and equal rights for all.
The visit will conclude with a brief meeting with the exhibition sponsors.
‘Anne Frank – The Exhibition’ opened on 27 January 2025, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former German concentration and death camp. The exhibition will run until 31 October 2025.
Government Information Service, no. 50