Teach And Inspire Your Kids By Exploring History As A Family

Now is an opportune time to explore the story of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager evading Nazi capture during the Holocaust. Families can read her famous diary together then visit "Anne Frank The Exhibition," presented by the Anne Frank House at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. This comprehensive exhibition immerses visitors in the context that shaped Frank's life, from her early years in Frankfurt through her tragic death and how her father ensured her legacy. The centerpiece is the first full-scale recreation of the Annex where the Frank family and four other Jews hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The exhibition, recommended for visitors ages 10 and older, is open through early 2027.

No matter what piece of history families choose to delve into together, they should take the time to discuss with their kids what they're thinking and feeling about everything they're discovering. Then together they can figure out what lessons from the past can be taken into the future.

About the exhibition

Anne Frank The Exhibition is an immersive, full-scale recreation of the Annex where Anne Frank, her family and four other Jewish inhabitants lived in hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is the first museum in the Midwest to present this exhibition, and Chicago is only the second U.S. city to host this extraordinary experience, featuring never-before-seen artifacts from Anne Frank’s life. Explore the world that shaped Anne’s story, from her early childhood in Frankfurt through the rise of Nazi Germany and the spread of antisemitism across Europe, to the Frank family’s move to Amsterdam. There, Anne lived for nearly ten years, including the final two, which were spent in hiding. Step inside the meticulously reconstructed Annex and reflect on the daily challenges, risks and courage of those who hid there before their arrest and deportation in 1944.

"Anne Frank's story is a powerful reminder of what happens when fear and hatred are allowed to take root," said Dr. Chevy Humphrey, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry President and CEO. "At the same time, it reveals the quiet but enduring strength of curiosity, creativity and resilience, values that sit at the heart of our mission. 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.”

Exhibition support for Griffin MSI

The exhibition is presented at Griffin MSI with support from Lead Benefactors Tony and Laura Davis, Presenting Benefactors Crown Family Philanthropies, Premier Sponsors Zell Family, Contributing Sponsors The Kaplan Foundation, Patron Sponsors Cari and Michael J. Sacks and GCM Grosvenor, the Estate of Judith Marx Golub, Jewish United Fund, IMC, John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation and Michael and Tanya Polsky, with supporting gifts from the Urbanovitch Family and Inland Group, Sharon and Neil Book, Chicago Bulls Charities and Rich and Vanessa Copans.

Support for the Anne Frank House

The exhibition was originally developed — and will travel nationally — through the leadership and support of Leon Levy Foundation, David Berg Foundation, Bank of America, Rebecca and Jared Cohen, Gray Foundation, Stacey and Eric Mindich, The Fuhrman Family Foundation, The Koum Family Foundation, Merryl and James Tisch and UJA-Federation of New York. Major support for the exhibition was also provided by Debbie and Mark Attanasio, Tanya and Ryan Baker, Einstein Astrof Foundation, Jesselson Foundation, Pershing Square Philanthropies, Sara Naison-Tarajano, The Barbra Streisand Foundation, The Krupp Foundation and Anonymous. Pro bono legal services provided by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

Learn more about the exhibit and other experiences that bring history and science to life at: www.GriffinMSI.org.