Harry Potter Exhibit Comes to Toronto

April 9th, 2010

Weasleys!!!

Who says ordinary muggles can’t see magic? It’s blasphemy, I’m telling you. I suppose I could enlighten everyone about the magnificent Harry Potter exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre. Well just keep it a secret from the Slytherins; I wouldn’t want them to know that their ~~biggest fan~~ fellow member is actually a fan of muggles. Harry Potter:The Exhibition made it’s world premiere in Chicago at the Museum of Science and Art on April 30th, 2009. The exhibition moved to Boston before making it’s Canadian debut right here in Toronto!

While it officially opens to the public on April 9th, 2010, I’ve come prepared to tell.. well, DEMAND you go see this showcase. More than 400 authentic props – costumes, props, characters and creatures from the six Harry Potter films are on display! Whatever you’re imagining about the showcase, its a THOUSAND times that. Since I dont have a pensieve to reveal my memories, you’ll just have to settle for reading.

If you’re a Potter fanatic, then you’ll realize that from the very beginning of the showcase to the very end, the exhibit is your dream wonderland. At the time, I was blissfully unaware of what was going to be unraveled until my eyes focused on the wooden sign above, The Sorting Hat. Yes! That’s right, the Sorting Hat! It rested on a stool as a female wizard explained the abilities and skills the Sorting Hat possessed. Before we knew it, she was asking for volunteers to come up and get sorted! I already knew I was a Slytherin and didn’t need to be proved otherwise, but there were some eager volunteers. However, it wasn’t exactly like the books where the hat was simply placed on the head. The wizard requested to know your favourite house and why. I suspect that the centre employees knew there would be some squeals and moments of fangirling, so it didn’t seem to faze them once the Sorting Hat spoke. I was expecting a makeshift toy from Toys R Us that could talk but no! It echoed loud and clear, surprisingly in the very same voice from the movie series! The very first volunteer was a devoted Gryffindor fan and so the Sorting Hat ended up reciting the Gryffindor theme song: Where dwell the brave at heart… before officially declaring Gryffindor as her house! Pretty wicked.

At this point, I didn’t know what to expect. But before I could figure anything out, we were ushered into a dark room. There were eight vertical screens, all of them projecting memorable scenes from the Harry Potter film series. At the very end of the montage, we heard a familiar train whistle and the doors were opened to reveal the Hogwarts Express. Looking back, I guess that the dark room was a waiting area because as soon as we opened the doors, we were greeted by yet another wizard who told us that we had so much to see! And how so true it was! There is so much to see moving pictures (well not really, just portrait-sized high definition screens framed by a rustic frame) but the Fat Lady was quite a special one. As usual, she wasn’t allowing entrance because she was determined to practice her opera singing! (Well more like.. shatter the glass in her hand, but whatever floats her boat!)

Every object present in the Gryffindor common room to the boys’ dormitories is absolutely how you would imagine it. True to the books and authentic props from the movies, you have to give the masterminds behind the showcase KUDOS. Words don’t do justice to this exhibition, but here are some of the following sets displayed: Potions area, Divination classroom, Qudditch field, Hagrid’s Hut, Forbidden Forest, Dark forces and the Great Hall. An abso-bloody-lutely must see is the Dark Forces display. Centralized around the Dark Arts, the set includes original death eater costumes including Lord Voldemort’s very own disguise. There is even a Dementor and the Angel of Death statue!

Quidditch costumes

While interaction with some pieces is limited, you’ll be surprised to know that the Qudditch section actually has quaffles for you to throw in the rings! Imagine Chuckie Cheese with the basketball games, just not exactly. Do you remember these pesky lilsuckers? Well, they didn’t go unnoticed. Frankly, they wouldn’t have anyway, seeing as they’re one of the interactive sections! Yep, you get to pull out the Mandrakes and hear them squeal dont worry; they’re not fatal so no ear plugs provided. But the display is way too cool to miss. Their squealing can actually go louder and louder, so for the sake of our ear-drums (weakened already by our iPods) let them go!

Eventually the exhibit had to come to an end but they ended with a bang! In the final rooms, props from the Weasley twins’ Joke shop, the feast in the Great Hall, Chocolate Card Frogs, candies from the Hogwarts Express train and every other delight were presented in glass cages! We were told to exit through Diagon Alley which actually turned out to be a gift shop! Truth be told, the items are a little pricey but they’re totally worth it! I purchased a plain Harry Potter mug but once you pour a hot beverage in the mug, the outside will change to the marauder map! It was totally worth the $17.99. Some of the items that clearly deserve recognition: Lord Voldemort’s wand and the Marauders Map!

And the best best best best best part was the intimate, informal talk with the Weasley twins! Erm, I mean the Phelps twins who decided to show up for the preview! I’ll have you know James and Oliver Phelps are the most hilarious, humble and friendliest out there! Not to mention, they actually have fun playing pranks on other cast mates especially Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley brothers. While they couldn’t give us some exclusive deets about the upcoming Harry Potter movies, they did win us over by complimenting their fans in Toronto! The duo attended the Raptor and Maple Leaf games with fans greeting them but not bombarding them with autographs or pictures. Geez, they really do know how to charm us!

On a more serious note, Harry Potter: Exhibition officially opens to the public April 9th, 2010. (TODAY!) So, please, please CHECK this out! The exhibition will be on view until Sunday, August 22, 2010.

Wizards, don’t disappoint Dumbledore by neglecting to go to this magnificent showcase. And I’m looking at you too, Death Eaters! Come and see or He-who-must-not-be-named might just reappear to teach you a lesson.

Tags: cool, correspondents, exhibits, harry potter, Movies, reviews, toronto