Time to dust off your cloak and polish your wands as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter makes its debut at the Franklin Institute in an all-new, interactive exhibit. 

Harry Potter: The Exhibition opened on Feb. 18 and will remain at the Franklin Institute through Sep. 18. Tickets for the event sold out for opening weekend within minutes and cost $43 for the daytime and $30 for the evening. Whether you’re Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, you will not be disappointed. 

The exhibit included multiple costume pieces of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley. As well as supporting characters such as Luna Lovegood, Professor Snape, and, of course, Lord Voldemort himself. The one thing that stuck out to me about these pieces from the film was how detail-oriented they were. If they were supposed to look tattered, the costumes reflected that. The embroidery was also very exquisite. 

The exhibit had a lot of pictures to show you the exact moment in the films that the characters wore each piece. As a fan of the series, I appreciated this as it caused memories to flood back of seeing these costumes for the very first time. 

As I walked through different points of the exhibit, the detail and atmosphere made me feel like I was a part of the Wizarding World. Overall, there were around seven to 10 interactive pieces. For longtime fans of the series who want to bring their children to experience the magic firsthand, this is the perfect place to do so. 

The exhibit also displayed different props from the films. Some of my favorite parts of the exhibit were seeing the different wands from all the characters and seeing different pieces used to represent the Death Eaters versus Dumbledore’s Army. 

Although the exhibit itself was amazing, as an attendee, one common complaint was the lack of workers stationed throughout the exhibit to help the flow of traffic. It became very hard to get the full experience because people kept shoving and making it feel like I had no personal space. 

“If the exhibit had more of a flow I would’ve felt a little more comfortable,” Dana Rafter, attendee and lifetime Harry Potter fan, said. “I felt like each of the rooms of the different pieces of the exhibit should’ve had a worker to help direct traffic and keep it moving one way.” 

There was so much to experience throughout the exhibition, but one of the things that stuck out most to me was the gift shop. Whether it was on a t-shirt or a coffee mug, the designs of the souvenirs were very impressive, especially the designs to reflected the different houses. Also, don’t forget to try the butterbeer!

Overall, I can talk about the exhibition for days, but if you truly want to experience the magic, you have to check it out for yourself. Information for the exhibit and ticketing can be found on The Franklin Institute’s website.

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