Imagine Exhibitions, a leader in worldwide travelling exhibitions and entertainment, has announced that Harry Potter: The Exhibition, the most comprehensive touring exhibition ever presented about the Wizarding World, will open in New York City in 2023.
The exhibition first opened at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute in 2022 and is now on show in Atlanta, Georgia, and Vienna, Austria, with a scheduled run in Paris, France, from this April. Imagine Exhibitions created and developed the immersive, record-breaking attraction in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and EMC Presents. To date, it has welcomed over 750,000 visitors and fans of the Wizarding World.
“Harry Potter: The Exhibition belongs in the greatest city in the world,” says Tom Zaller, president and CEO of Imagine Exhibitions. “This exhibition celebrates the Wizarding World like no other touring experience so where better to host it than New York City. We can’t wait to share it with the millions of visitors that come from around the world, as well as the fans and families across the New York metropolitan area.”
Behind-the-scenes experiences
The brand-new behind-the-scenes exhibition honours the iconic scenes, people, places and creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies and books, alongside wonders from the expanded Wizarding World, including costumes, artefacts and visuals from the Tony award-winning Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as seen in the nearby Lyric Theater.
Using the best-in-class immersive design and technology, visitors can take in the exquisitely crafted environments that pay homage to many of the unforgettable moments fans and audiences have loved for more than two decades. They can get a close-up look at everything from original costumes to authentic props.
RFID wristbands are used to record visitor interactions as they move through each gallery in order to provide personalised experiences connected to each visitor’s profile.
Highlights of the exhibition
Highlights of the exhibition include the From Page to Screen Gallery, which displays a first edition of the book that started it all, housed in a Gringotts-inspired vault. This is shown alongside inspirational video and literary quotes, helping guests to reengage with the narrative as they are introduced to the exhibition.
Visitors can also enjoy the Hogwarts Castle Gallery. Here, there is an immersive multimedia experience featuring much-loved elements such as the Whomping Willow, Dementors, and the Marauder’s Map, where they will see their names appear, prompting them to continue their exploration of the galleries. The Great Hall Gallery celebrates magical seasonal moments in its iconic architecture.
The Hogwarts Houses gallery sets the foundation for the experience, giving visitors the chance to have more individualised interactions with the Hogwarts house they choose when preregistering. While visitors may favour one house, this gallery will allow them to have a taste of each Hogwarts house in a festive hall with the renowned Sorting Hat, ideal for selfies, while surrounded by freshly designed house crests on painstakingly crafted stained glass windows.
Meanwhile, the Hogwarts Classrooms galleries showcase iconic props, creatures, and costumes. Using interactive digital touchscreens, visitors can learn about the hidden details of famous classroom moments while participating in fascinating classes and games. In the Potions Classroom, they will make potions; in Divination, they will make future predictions; in the Herbology Greenhouse, they will plant mandrakes; and in Defense Against the Dark Arts, they will use a digital wand to slay a boggart.
There is also the chance to enjoy an interactive Patronus charm experience in Hagrid’s Hut and The Forbidden Forest, where guests can discover creatures such as centaurs and Acromantula, and explore inside a recreation of Hagrid’s Hut.
The on-site retail store will provide an exclusive selection of Harry Potter: The Exhibition merchandise, allowing visitors to celebrate their fandom through a variety of themed collections including clothing, jewellery, and delicious treats. In addition to fan favourites like Chocolate Frogs and bottled Butterbeer, guests can select items not found at any other Wizarding World attraction.
Fans can join the waiting list here.
Last year, Imagine Exhibitions announced ICE DINOSAURS: The Lost World of the Paleo-Arctic, a touring exhibition which will showcase newly discovered Arctic-dwelling dinosaurs in an all-new way.
