Follow the Magic to the Franklin Institute

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has opened a portal into the City of Brotherly Love. The Franklin Institute’s latest exhibit brings Hogwarts and beyond to Harry Potter fans in Philadelphia and the Tri-State area. The Harry Potter: The Exhibition is the most comprehensive touring exhibition ever presented about the Wizarding World, made its world premiere at The Franklin
Institute in Philadelphia on February 18, 2022. The exhibit will remain in Philly until September of this year. We at Fandom Spotlite were able to explore the exhibition, and we like to share our thoughts before you book your tickets for the train to Hogwarts.

The Harry Potter exhibit is highly interactive. Visitors are asked to wear a unique band, where they can select their house, wand, Patronus, and take a photo. The band is not just for fashion or to gather your information. This system allows you to gather points for your house as you move about the exhibit. After registering, everyone is compiled into a magical room that shows a very familiar map. The room changes to a train station, then you’re on the Hogwarts Express, and before you know it, you are right in front of Hogwart’s Castle!

You’ll make your way through the castle and see familiar sights like the Great Hall and the moving paintings until you find yourself in a room that will lead you to your house dormitory.

Our group had two Ravenclaws, one Gryffindor, and one Slytherin. Sorry, Hufflepuff. The Hogwarts Houses gallery allows guests to experience more personalized moments with the house they select during their preregistration. While guests may gravitate toward one house, this Gallery will enable visitors to experience all of the Hogwarts houses in a celebratory hall featuring an iconic Sorting Hat, perfect for photo ops, while surrounded by freshly designed houses crests on meticulously created stained glass windows. After visiting the houses, “students” could take classes. The available courses were  Potions, Divination, Herbology, and  Defense Against the Dark Arts. You can even play around with Quidditch!

The exhibit isn’t all about Hogwarts. It also hosts items and features from the Fantastic Beast franchise and the Cursed Child play. Harry Potter: The Exhibition is 18,000-square-foot
featuring 21 celebratory galleries, including Hagrid’s Hut, Newt’s Suitcase, King’s Cross Station, and even Harry’s home.

As you explore all 21 attractions, it’s important to remember to scan your band as much as possible. Each time you do, you receive points for your house. Gryffindor had the most points at the exhibit’s end, with Hufflepuff in last place. Again, sorry, Hufflepuff!

At the end of the exhibit is a gift shop. The gift shop has an exclusive collection of Harry Potter™: The Exhibition merchandise available for guests to purchase. They can celebrate their fandom through an assortment of themed collections that span the expanded WizardingWorld. Fans can choose from a range of products such as apparel, jewelry, and edible treats, including Chocolate Frogs and bottled Butterbeer and rare collectible art from MinaLima, the graphic design duo on all Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

Here are some important things to note:

~The exhibit is large and takes about 90 minutes to see everything.
~The museum is a bit hot, so dress accordingly.
~There are many instagrammable areas, so have those phones charged!
~Mask wearing is not currently being enforced.
~The exhibit does not include refreshments, so eat before or after you attend.

Our group had an amazing time at the exhibit and feels it is a MUST for fans of the beloved franchise. Fans of all ages, genders, races, etc got along and in fact, there was plenty of comradery going on. Many guests were taking pictures for strangers, trying to gain as many points for their house, having discussions in line, and some even exchanged IG names. It was as if we were all cast under a spell that made us more friendly. But fans know that’s just the magic of Harry Potter.

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