Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition London
The Harry Potter photography exhibition is in Londons Covent garden and is a fantastic Harry Potter day out for any potterhead fan.
In this Warner Brothers on Location tour the Wizarding world of Harry Potter is brought to life with photographic images never seen before. There are also and artefacts and props from the films. Journey through memories captured during years of magical filmmaking in a fantastic display of iconic behind-the-scenes photos as well as iconic film props.
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Whether you have been or have not been to the Harry Potter studio tour london Leavesden this will be a perfect add on to the magical world of Harry Potter. This really is an insightful and magical Harry Potter experience you will not want to miss!
We went along for a good look to see just what the key moments of the exhibit show and find out what’s inside!
Review of Everything You Need to Know About the Harry Potter Photographic Experience in london
Where is the Harry Potter photography exhibition in london?
The Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition is in London’s Covent Garden in the London film museum just behind the London Transport Museum. The front entrance is in Wellington street the same road as the Lyceum theatre where the Lion king is currently showing. When you leave the photo exhibition you will come out on the other side of the film museum in Londons Covent Garden right next to Dirty Martini and the London Transport Museum.
What will you see in the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition?
At Harry Potter exhibition london what will you see? You will see lots of photos from the film series with filmed interviews as well as documentaries from actors and directors. You will also get to see photographs never seen before of scenes and even body doubles. In fact it is so interesting you will absolutely find something you have never seen before!
One of the most interesting things is that the Harry Potter photo exhibition is not just about what happened in the films but what actually went in to the behind the scenes of the making of the Harry Potter series.
You can expect to see and do the following in the Harry Potter photographic exhibition;
- Props from the films
- See unseen photos from behind the scenes
- see video clips of the films
- Watch videos of interviews with the actors and directors
- Look at costumes worn in the Harry Potter films
- Ride a broomstick for a photo ( extra charge)
- Have your photo added to a ministry of magic identification card (extra charge)
- Drink butterbeer (extra charge)
- Take instagramable photos in great sets
- Buy a souvenir in the photo exhibit Potter shop
What’s inside the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition Covent Garden?
The moment you enter the Exhibit you will be greeted by the famous flying Ford Anglia swaying above the foyer! The Flying Ford Anglia was a light blue Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe that was flown by Arthur Weasley. It appeared in a number of the films. Once it was flown high above St Pancras In london!
A trail of Hogwarts acceptance letters guide you as you wind your way down the stairs to the first part of the tour.
You are also greeted by a huge oversize Hogwarts acceptance letter which is perfect for a photo shoot as you walk down the stairs. Downstairs you start your journey in the cupboard under the stairs. This is where harry begins his journey and follow it right through the films.
Around the walls are photographs from the beginning of the very first film Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone right through till the last film! Some of the photos are the size of the entire wall! You will see snippets of the Leaky Caldron as well as gringotts bank with short clips of the film throughout. The staff at the exhibit are very informative and certainly know there stuff being Harry Potter fans as well.
See the much loved Harry Potter sets in Britain in glorious colour
Seeing Hogwarts sets was magical with all of the different places it was really filmed in and around Britain.
I loved the photos of sets based around England with explanations on how and why they came to use them. The stories are brought back to life with pictures of Londons kings cross station to Hogsmeade station which was actually filmed at two locations Goathland station in North Yorkshire and Black Park station in Buckinghamshire. Having this insight in to where the Harry Potter films were really filmed made it really special.
Every inch of the exhibition had something to see. Seeing it from a different angle behind the scenes was really interesting. After all we have all seen the films one after the other and seeing it through the eyes of the cast and director gave it a different edge.
Learn secrets and tips from the films
There are also interesting little tips throughout the exhibit, For instance did you know? To get in to the the prefects bathroom located on the fifth floor of Hogwarts you must enter the fourth door to the left of the statue of Boris the Bewildered and recite the password “pinefresh”
Filming secrets are given away throughout such how they made the portraits in Hogwarts move. To make the portraits move the actors were filmed in front of a green screen. When this was edited in post production and they were digitally placed into the portrait frames. However some real portraits were used! For example in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone there is actually a real painting of Anne Boleyn. It is to the right of the staircase before Harry , Ron and Hermoine meet fluffy for the first time!
Find out how the sets were built in Harry Potter
A lot of the scenes were filmed on location but some scenes such as the potion classes were filmed on sets at Warner Bros leavesden studios. You will see some of the many thousands of bottle of potions created for the set at the exhibition too. The books on show were designed by the House of Minalima and there are many throughout.
Many of the Sections of the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition have different photos which came with poignant stories of the film. At the Hagrid’shut section boards tell stories of the relationship that Harry and Hagrid had. They also told us how Hagrids hut was constructed at Warner Bros and transported to Glencoe in Scotland as the grounds of Hogwarts in the third film. Two different sets were created for Robby Coltrane who played Hagrid and his body double. One of Hagrids huts was created in large scale made for regular size characters to seem small and another was a smaller set for Robbie to seem large.
See body doubles pictures on set
In one photo we see Emma Watson who plays Hermione Granger with her two acting doubles. The two other girls Joanna Whitney and Hannah Jones were used to fill in and perform stunts. Emma was away at university quite a bit whilst Harry Potter and the deathly hallows was being filmed.
Towards the end of the exhibit there are props, photos and information on Harry Potter and the cursed child. Harry Potter and the cursed child is currently showing at the palace theatre, Shaftesbury avenue. You can still buy tickets for the two shows or even enter the Friday 40 theatre lottery to try and win some cheap.
Instagrammable Photo opportunities on every corner
The whole of the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition at the film museum was filled with amazing scenery. There was even a recreation of the green tiled walls of the ministry of magic.
At the end is a Ministry of Magic red phone box perfect for an insta photo!
The Photographic Exhibit is home to London’s only bottled Butterbeer bar.
In the Butterbeer Bar after the exhibit you will be able to enjoy the wizard’s drink of choice served in a souvenir tankard which you can keep. You can also buy a bottle to take away to enjoy at home!
Whats better than sitting in a barrel or beer Vat drinking butter beer and eating cake? They do do some lunch options too. Butter beer costs 6.95 and you get a free souvenir tankard to take home with you.
How much is the Harry Potter photo exhibition?
The Harry Potter photo exhibit is currently £20 to enter. Children are £14 and it is free for Carers and children under 4. There are no other concessions.
You will need to factor in extra costs should you wish to do them such as;
- Photos on the broom using the green screen technology
- Ministry of magic photo card is extra
- Food or butterbeer in restaurant is extra
- Souvenirs in the shop
How long does the potter world photographic tour take?
The tour recommends one hour but I would say approximately two hours depending on how long you wish to stay and read articles. If you have something to eat or drink in the Harry Potter restaurant or shop it will take longer.
Harry Potter photographic experience shop
The shop is vary similar to other Warner brothers Harry Potter shops like Platform 9¾. The Harry Potter experience shop has lots of different Harry Potter goodies you can pick up.
You can buy wizarding wand replicas, Platform 9¾ replica train tickets, key rings and even clothes in your favourite house. This is also a good place to get your Harry Potter house robe or a chocolate frog and some Bertie botts flavoured beans.
Is the Harry Potter photographic exhibit worth it?
In my opinion I think it is totally worth it! There is so much to see and do for £20 and it way under the price of the Warner Bros studio tour. The Harry Potter exhibition is open until the end of 2022 and let’s hope it extends further!
Getting to the Harry Potter Film photo exhibition in Covent Garden
The closet tube station is Covent Garden. But the exhibit is also easily accessible from Leicester Square, Holborn station or Charing Cross Station with just a 10 minute walk.
Harry Potter photo exhibit opening times
The Photographic Exhibition and bottled Butterbeer bar are open between 10:00-18:00 Monday-Sunday. You can only visit the Butterbeer bar with a valid ticket.
More Harry Potter things to do in London
After your visit why not go and see the Harry Potter Statue in Londons Leicester Square?
Take a visit to Minalima for more Potter replicas and souvenirs too! It’s close by in Soho.
Take a look at the real life film set of Gringots bank at Australia house in London
Want to know Where to eat near the Harry Potter Photographic exhibition?
There are so many restaurants in around the area of Covent Garden you will be spoilt for choice. Take a look at my where to eat near the Lyceum Theatre post as it is in the same road as the Harry Potter Museum. You can also look at this post on where to eat near Theatre Royal Drury lane too as its close by.
