The eventful history of the house where Anne Frank and her family hid. In the middle of Amsterdam, directly at Prinsengracht 261, there is a tall, narrow house. It was built 400 years ago and served as a dwelling, storage, stable and secret hiding place. It was the site of a remarkable history, spanning the rapid growth of Amsterdam during Holland's "Golden Age" and the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, and it offered a seemingly safe haven for Anne Frank, her family and four others for more than two years . Today the house on the canal is a much-visited museum and the seat of the Anne Frank Foundation.