One of the most moving historical exhibitions to tour the United States has officially arrived in Chicago, and it is already drawing attention from educators, historians, and families across the Midwest.
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry opened its doors to “Anne Frank The Exhibition” on May 1, 2026, marking a significant cultural moment for the city. Chicago is only the second city in the entire United States to host this experience, with New York being the only other American city to have seen it before.
The exhibition was created and presented by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the same organization that preserves the original hiding place where Anne Frank and her family lived during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Bringing this experience to the American Midwest required years of planning and the careful transport of irreplaceable historical items across the Atlantic.
What Makes This Exhibition Truly Unique
At the heart of the experience is something no photograph or documentary can fully replicate. Visitors walk through a full-scale, fully furnished reconstruction of the Secret Annex, the hidden rooms where Anne Frank, her parents, her sister Margot, and four other Jewish refugees lived in hiding for more than two years while evading Nazi capture.
The attention to detail inside the recreated Annex is remarkable. Every room has been faithfully restored to reflect exactly how it looked during the hiding period, allowing visitors to step into the daily reality of those who lived there in fear, hope, and quiet courage.
Beyond the reconstructed rooms, the exhibition features multimedia galleries filled with video, photography, sound, and animation that trace Anne Frank’s life from her early childhood in Frankfurt all the way through the rise of Nazi Germany, the family’s move to Amsterdam, their years in hiding, and ultimately their arrest and deportation in 1944.
Never-Before-Seen Artifacts From Amsterdam
Perhaps the most extraordinary element of this exhibition is the collection of original artifacts brought directly from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. The Chicago presentation includes more than 130 collection items, many of which have never been displayed publicly before, and several that have never previously been seen in the United States.
Among the remarkable items on display are personal letters written by Anne Frank, Margot Frank, Otto Frank, and Fritz Pfeffer. Visitors can also view Anne Frank’s very first photo album, covering the years 1929 to 1942, handwritten verses by Anne and Margot in their friends’ poetry albums, and a German fairytale book that belonged to the Frank sisters dating back to 1925.
One of the most quietly powerful artifacts is a document from 1945, a list of Jewish people returning to Amsterdam’s Central Station after the war, a haunting reminder of just how few survived.
Ronald Leopold, historian and Executive Director of the Anne Frank House, traveled personally to Chicago for the opening. He noted that the exhibition is designed not only to look backward but to speak directly to the present moment.
“We have brought 130 collection items from Amsterdam, some of them never seen before, never seen before here in the U.S.,” Leopold said. “This is also very much an exhibition that is not just about the past. It is very much about a better present and future. It is very much about us, about who we are and who we want to be.”
Why Chicago Was Chosen
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science museums in the world, was selected as the Midwest host because of its long-standing commitment to making education accessible to everyone. Dr. Chevy Humphrey, President and CEO of the museum, spoke about what she hopes visitors will take away from the experience.
“Anne Frank’s story is a powerful reminder of what happens when fear and hatred are allowed to take root,” she said. “At the same time, it reveals the quiet but enduring strength of curiosity, creativity and resilience. We hope this exhibition offers meaningful moments of reflection for our guests, particularly young people, and encourages them to think critically about their role in the world they are inheriting.”
The exhibition also carries a broader educational message about antisemitism, racism, and the importance of empathy in today’s world. An antisemitism curriculum has been developed in collaboration with both the Anne Frank House and the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina for use in classrooms across the region.
Practical Information for Visitors
The exhibition is designed for visitors aged 10 and above and is suitable for families, school groups, and adults alike. Every general admission ticket includes a full audio guide available in both English and Spanish, ensuring the experience is accessible to a wide audience.
In a particularly generous gesture, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is offering free admission to the exhibition for all organized school field trip groups. This is in addition to the museum’s existing policy of free general admission for Illinois school groups, making it possible for thousands of young people to engage with this history regardless of their school’s budget.
“Anne Frank The Exhibition” will remain open at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry through early 2027, giving families and educators across the Midwest many months to plan their visit.
Anne Frank’s diary has now been published in more than 70 languages with over 30 million copies distributed worldwide, a testament to the enduring power of one teenager’s words written in the darkness of hiding. This exhibition brings those words to life in a way that is impossible to forget.
Information for this article was drawn from official press releases issued by the Anne Frank House (annefrank.org) and the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (griffinmsi.org).
Featured Image : annefrank.org
