Exclusive: Harry Potter: The Exhibition interview & tour report (UPDATED)
SnitchSeeker staffer Mistress Vondella (Vonnie) attended the media preview for Harry Potter: The Exhibition today at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The exhibition is divided into nine (9) different parts, each with a different theme. Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistress Vondella Setting 1:
We are greeted by a Hogwarts professor and volunteers are given the opportunity to be sorted into a house. The number of those “sorted” are determined by the size of the group.
Setting 2:
We are ushered through two doors where eight picture frames (6 of which hold the movie posters for 1-6), that begin to go through the six movies, showing clips and snippets of each one, including a few clips from Half Blood Prince. At the conclusion, a side wall moved to a train whistle and bright light welcomed us to Hogwarts, via the express (a mock up, not the real train).
Setting 3:
After walking past portraits and moving portraits, past the Fat Lady portrait (PoA), we enter the Gryffindor common room. Hermione shares with us the Gryffindor notice board, her clothing, and a few small items, including the time turner she used to make it to all of her classes in her third year. Ron has given us his sweater, Chuddly Cannons poster, shirt, his howler from his second year, a few of his Quidditch books, his bed, and some of his other pieces of clothing. Harry also brought his bed along, clothes, the egg he had to listen to in Goblet of Fire, the glasses Hermione fixed in their first term, and his wand. Neville brought in his clothes, the Mimbulus mimbletonia, and some examples of wizarding money. Ginny sent her school uniform along.
Setting 4:
We start with Divination, we see the clothes from Professor Trelawney, her huge bug-eye glasses, books on Divination, the tea kettle, and the tea cup with the image of the black dog that spoke of doom on Harry. For Potions we see both robes for Professor Snape (OotP) and Professor Slughorn in the upcoming movie release. They’ve also sent their wands, books on Potions, and cauldrons. We also see some of their ingredients such as silverweed, addwarts, and goosegrass. For DADA we are sent Professor Lockhart’s pictures, his clothes, regular robes as well as his robes from the dueling arena, some of his books, the test Hermione passes so well, and even a Cornish pixie! Lupin sent his boggart closet (with sound!), the record played while the students battled the boggart (Wizard Waltz), and the Jack in the Box, which is even creepier than in the movie, a set of his robes, and his class book. Professor Umbridge sent her office of bright pink, cat plates, her book selection of DADA for Beginners, the detention, and the parchment on which Harry wrote “I must not tell lies” and the quill with that. For Herbology, we see Professor Pompfrey’s robes and mandrakes. Along one side is a row of mandrakes that, when pulled (yes! Interactive exhibit!) pop out and scream.
Setting 5:
We see the Quidditch robes of the Irish team, Krum (Bulgaria), Madam Hooch’s (SS), Wood’s, Diggory’s and Malfoy’s uniforms and Harry’s and Ron’s from Half-Blood Prince! Also see Harry’s Nimbus 2000, Malfoy’s Nimbus 2001, Quidditch equipment, wizard periodicals, and we score a few points of our own with the interactive quaffle throw!
Setting 6:
We step on over to Hagrid’s Hut and meet Buckbeak in the pumpkin patch. Also to see is Ron’s, Hermione’s and Harry’s clothing from PoA, as well as the headsman with his axe. Inside Hagrid’s Hut, we see Hagrid’s clothes and a soon-to-be-hatched Norbert. You can also take a look at the umbrella that gave Dudley his pig tail and a copy or two of Monster Book of Monsters. If you’re tired, you can have a seat in Hagrid’s chair, careful, though, because you might not be able to get out of it!
Setting 7:
We snuck on in to the Forbidden Forest and met the centaurs Baine and Magorian, the baby thestral Luna fed in OotP, and an acromantula.
Setting 8:
We entered the Dark Forces by the giant pawn and rook from CoS, and saw Harry’s clothes, Quirrell’s robes, the flying key (stationary), and even the Sorcerer’s Stone! To our right is Tom Riddle’s school robes, a petrified Colin Creevy, Colin’s camera, and Riddle’s destroyed book, basilisk tooth still inside. Moving through, and we see the Angel of Death grave stone from GoF with a hovering Dark Mark. Further still we see the wanted posters of Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Fenrir Greyback, and Bellatrix Lestrange. Death Eater’s robes and masks are on display, as well as Voldemort’s wand and flowing robes from GoF. Lucius sent his clothes and wand/staff, as well as Draco’s first year school uniform. The PoA dementors are out where we can see them, and Kreacher is taking care of the prisioners’ uniforms from Azkaban.
Setting 9:
We see the banners for all four Houses as we enter the Great Hall with floating candles, food and Yule Ball clothes – and we see Dobby hidden behind Richard Harris’ Dumbledore robes. There’s Fudge’s robes, as well as Percy’s suit, the Educational Decrees, and the different candies one can purchase in Hogsmeade.
As we leave, we are applauded by several portraits and we walk into the gift shop, that looks like it could fit into Diagon Alley. After the tour of all the displays, Vonnie got the opportunity to interview Eddie Newquist from Branded Entertainment, the company which created the exhibit, and Anne Ridgeford from the Museum of Science and Industry. Quote: SnitchSeeker: Why did the tour start in Chicago?
Newquist: Branded Entertainment has an office in Chicago, and had two places to set up, deciding on Museum of Science and Industry because of the size of the building.
Ridgeford: There is a history of successful launches of large temporary exhibits, Titantic and CSI: The Experience. Chicago is a great city.
Quote: SnitchSeeker: How long will the exhibition run and will it go on display permanently at some point?
Ridgeford: They are currently planning on a five year run, but hoping to continue past that time. No plans for a permanent display as yet.
Quote: SnitchSeeker: What other cities will be included on the tour?
Ridgeford: The next stops are as yet unannounced.
Vonnie did find out, however, that the exhibition will include five U.S. cities before moving on to Europe.
Ridgeway noted that the 30-45 second audio snippets throughout the exhibition were created by the Harry Potter artisans, film-makers and department heads.
Newquist also talked a bit about J.K. Rowling's involvement and the theme park at Universal, which a Warner Bros. rep confirmed to Vonnie, will open in 2010. Quote:
Newquist: The exhibition has been spoken about for many years, always that it would be a good idea, but only in the last couple of years has Warner Brother’s taken it on as a serious idea. Harry Potter was a natural to become an exhibition.
J.K. [Rowling) had no direct interaction with the making of the exhibition, but Warner Brother’s was directly involved and had passed ideas by J.K.
This exhibit has no collaboration with the theme park set to be opened in Universal.
The change of the movie release had no negative impact on the exhibition itself.
With already three interactive sections of the exhibit, there may be more in the future.
UPDATE: A podcast about the creation of the exhibition can be downloaded here. |