The British Library’s Harry Potter Exhibit is Crossing the Pond

As TLC reported previously, the British Library is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with a special exhibit called Harry Potter: A History of Magic.  The exhibit opens on the 20th of October and runs through the end of February 2018.

But what about fans who can’t get to London?  Apparition is risky even for short distances—you wouldn’t want to apparate to London to see the exhibit and leave an eyeball behind in Kansas.  Splinching would put a dent in your holiday but now there is another option:  According to Pottermore, Harry Potter: A History of Magic is coming to the New York Historical Society.  You’ll have to be patient; the exhibit doesn’t open stateside until October 2018.  Just as the U.K. opening coincided with the 20th anniversary of Bloomsbury’s publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the U.S. exhibition will correspond to Scholastic’s release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The exhibit contains artifacts from the British Library’s collection that relate to history and folklore referenced in the Harry Potter books, as well as original papers and drawings from J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay.  The U.S. version will add U.S.-specific items from the New York Historical Society’s collection and papers from Scholastic’s archives.

Two books will accompany the exhibit, so start saving your sickles now.

The first book will be released on 20th October, 2017, by Scholastic in the U.S. and Bloomsbury in the U.K., with an ebook edition available via Pottermore.  Titled Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic, this book will feature, according to the New York Historical Society, “a selection of the amazing artifacts, manuscripts, original artwork, and magical objects included in the exhibition.”

Scholastic will publish the official companion book for the exhibition a year later, when Harry Potter: A History of Magic opens in New York.   Word is that this is going to be a gorgeous coffee table book that showcases the books, manuscripts, drawings, drafts, and magical objects in both the U.K. and U.S. versions of the exhibit.  If you can’t get to either London or New York, this book will serve as your virtual tour. As an even bigger bonus, it will be available in interactive, digital form on Pottermore.

Tickets for the London exhibit can be obtained here (and they are only available online).  There will be a Harry Potter quiz on opening night, 20th October, repeated at intervals throughout the run of the exhibit, with questions provided by Pottermore.  TLC will post ordering information for the coffee table book, and ticket information for the New York exhibit, as soon as they are available.