Children at Anne Frank House

I hope Mary McNamara’s article about Amsterdam won’t encourage more parents to bring their children to the Anne Frank House [“Touring Amsterdam, With Two Kids in Tow,” May 20]. I applaud McNamara for preparing her children for the experience and for being ready to remove them from the museum if they did not behave appropriately.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about so many parents we saw at the Anne Frank House on a visit there last month.

In contrast to the “utter weighted silence” described by McNamara, we saw and heard children whining, crying and babbling throughout our visit.

I can’t imagine that bringing the kids along proved rewarding to those families, and it detracted from our and other visitors’ experience.

John Rosenthal Santa Monica

Thank you so much for your wonderful story on Amsterdam. I spent a week there many, many years ago and absolutely loved the city too — the canals, the museums and the quaint buildings.

I too was very moved when I visited the Anne Frank House, and your story reminded me of my visit.

We have a 5-year-old daughter and spent three weeks with her in Denmark (my family is from there), London and Ireland last summer, and she was a real trouper! It made us realize that she would enjoy so many other cities and countries as well.

Now, Amsterdam is definitely on our list to visit with her after reading your story. She would love it too, I’m sure.

Thank you again, and keep traveling.

Bolette Albertsen Laguna Beach