Stepping into the Ministry of Magic’s phone booth, jumping out of Newt’s bag, activating a portkey or summoning a Patronus – what was previously only possible for fictional characters can now also be experienced by visitors to “Harry Potter – The Exhibition” in Vienna’s Meta City. Starting this Friday, the show is revisiting 20 years of Harry Potter in the movie, showcasing original props, and letting you walk around the sets and immerse yourself in the magical world interactively.
Fans can see the original costumes up close, neatly put together and featured with informative text panels. Display cases include Alastro Moody’s wands, swords, and hip hopper. You enter the Great Hall of Hogwarts Castle and sit at the board, wander through the Forbidden Forest or sit at the table for a fortune-telling (eg to receive the message “Your potential is as great as the pumpkins in Hagrid’s pumpkin patch!”).
“Harry Potter – The Exposition” premiered in Philadelphia and is now showing in Europe for the first time. “We put a lot of time and effort into collaborating with people in the Warner Bros. Archives,” said Tom Zaler, show producer. “The show is divided into different houses and time periods – and we’ve carefully chosen the elements to go with it. For example, if Hagrid’s hut was set up here, its canopy should not be missing. It is the original prop. Authenticity is important to us.”
Things will tell stories, Zaler confirmed in an interview with APA. “It’s about seeing the costumes and the props and interacting and getting behind the scenes and taking photos. You get a behind-the-scenes look at why the costume designers chose this and not that. It’s all in a great setting.”
The fixtures make the potter’s world tangible, “a little bit of technology brings the magic to life,” said Zaler. You train to defend yourself against the dark arts, you can (interactively) brew magic potions and draw roaring mandrakes from pot. At many of the hands-on stations, you have to hold on to the bracelet you initially received a gold medal—”eventually you get a magic email,” says Zaler.
The organizers strongly advise you to book in advance. Some slots are already sold out, and the rush is huge. The Chamber of Secrets awaits…
“Harry Potter – the exhibition” until March 19 in Vienna, Mettastadt, tickets from 29.90 euros, opening times and information on reservations at harrypotter-ausstellung.at
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