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Netherlands - Mon. May 2, 2005 - Pictures below
We knew today there was a good chance of rain, so we planned this day for museums. Our first visit was to the Anne Frank Museum.  They have done a very good job of preserving many elements of the family's hiding place, and the most interesting part to me were the walls in Anne's room, where she pasted pictures from magazines, etc. to brighten up her walls. I know that doesn't sound like much, but if you read the story, they kept the windows covered, they didn't have fresh air, food was old, etc. She was a child with hope. Some of the museum contains stairs that are worse than a submarine's or ship's. I was worried about some of the older people climbing up and down, but they managed. It was very moving to be right there. There are many videos with interviews with her father, a childhood friend, etc. There is even a display of most all of the books that have been written about her and her diary. I didn't take any photos inside. It was very dark, which really contributed to the mood of the visit. There were so many people in line. Tour groups, etThe Rijksmuseum is located in Amsterdam, and it is know for many of Rembrandt's works, 15th-17th century with 20 of his paintings, including "the Night Watch". There were many other things to see, paintings by Vermeer, de Hooch, and Jan Steen. Unfortunately a large part of the museum was under construction, so we didn't get to see everything. These 2 museums are not to be missed when visiting Amsterdam. We had lunch at a little restaurant near the Van Gogh museum. It was great.
RIJKSMUSEUM WEBSITE: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl
ANNE FRANK HOUSE MUSEUM WEBSITE: http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?pid=1&lid=1&setlanguage=2

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