HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY POTTER!

HARRY POTTER: THE EXHIBITION CELEBRATES ON MONDAY, JULY 31 IN NEW YORK CITY

New York, NY (July 28, 2023) – In honor of one of the most famous wizards, Harry Potter™: The Exhibition is hosting special festivities to celebrate the birthday of Harry Potter himself, on Monday, July 31st. Starting at 10am, the day-long event is open to wizards, witches and Muggles of all ages.

Fans are invited to celebrate and join the fun at the most comprehensive touring exhibition ever presented about the Wizarding World with special birthday activations that will feature fun treats and exciting events at Harry Potter: The Exhibition located in Herald Square. 

On July 31, Harry Potter: The Exhibition team members will hand out thousands of complimentary ice pops (while supplies last) as part of the celebration, and an airbrush tattoo artist will be on site for some temporary wizard-themed designs for visitors. 

Entry is FREE on July 31 to anyone who shares a birthday with “The Boy Who Lived,” (confirmed with photo identification). Additionally, all fans can pick up a special QR code redeemable for a discounted ticket for the exhibition. 

Be sure to tune into New York’s #1 Hit Music Station Z100 with radio host, Crystal Rosas, as she talks about Harry’s Birthday celebration at the Exhibition and her own journey through the experience. 

The all-new behind-the-scenes, unique, in-depth exhibition delights visitors through powerful storytelling and innovative, interactive technology, as they explore beloved moments from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast films, as well as the Tony® award-winning Broadway production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The exhibition is open seven days a week, and tickets are available at new-york.harrypotterexhibition.com. 

The immersive, record-breaking exhibition created and developed in partnership by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, Imagine Exhibitions and EMC Presents, is conveniently located in the heart of Herald Square in Midtown on the corner of 34th and 6th Ave and is easily accessible via Penn Station, Port Authority, or subway.  

Harry Potter: The Exhibition takes visitors of all ages on a one-of-a-kind journey through the entire Wizarding World, celebrating the most iconic moments from the beloved books and films of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Upon entry, everyone is given an exhibition wristband for a personalized experience using best-in-class immersive design and technology. From selecting a Hogwarts house (either Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin) to picking your wand and Patronus, visitors will be able to create their own, uniquely magical moments while earning points for their house with each interactive activity.  

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will experience everything from the hall of moving portraits to the famed scene of the Great Hall with floating candles, to exploring Hogwarts classrooms, filled with authentic props and costumes. Hagrid’s Hut and oversized chair is perfect for photo opps, as is the “cupboard under the stairs” from Harry’s childhood. In addition, vignettes from Fantastic Beasts and costumes from the Tony® award-winning Broadway production Harry Potter and The Cursed Child are included in the exhibition, making Harry Potter: The Exhibition the most in-depth touring exhibition looking at the entire Wizarding World, perfect for both longtime fans and those just starting to experience the magic. 

Exhibition Gallery Highlights:

From Page to Screen Gallery showcases a first edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone protected in a Gringotts-inspired vault and is surrounded by inspirational video and literary quotes, reconnecting guests to the story as they are introduced to the exhibition. 

Hogwarts Castle Gallery features an immersive multimedia experience with iconic elements like the Whomping Willow, Dementors, and the Marauder’s Map, where guests will see their name appear, prompting them to continue their exploration of the exhibition. 

The Great Hall Gallery is a space that allows visitors to celebrate magical seasonal moments in its iconic architecture.

The Hogwarts Houses Gallery sets the foundation for the exhibition experience, allowing guests the opportunity to experience more personalized moments with the Hogwarts house they select during their preregistration. While guests may gravitate towards 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 house crests on meticulously created stained glass windows. 

Hogwarts Classrooms Galleries are filled with iconic props, creatures, and costumes. Visitors will interact with magical lessons and games through digital touchscreens to reveal behind-the-scenes secrets about iconic classroom moments. They will brew potions in the Potions classroom, predict the future in Divination, pot a mandrake in the Herbology Greenhouse, and use their digital wand to defeat a boggart in Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

Hagrid’s Hut and The Forbidden Forest offer an interactive Patronus charm experience. Guests will then uncover iconic creatures, such as centaurs and Acromantula, hidden in the forest and explore inside a recreation of Hagrid’s Hut. 

An exclusive collection of Harry Potter: The Exhibition merchandise will be available in the onsite retail shop for guests to celebrate their fandom through an assortment of themed collections. Fans can choose from a range of products such as apparel, jewelry, and edible treats, including fan-favorite Chocolate Frogs and bottled Butterbeer, as well as merchandise not available at any other Wizarding World experience. 

Fans are encouraged to follow Harry Potter: The Exhibition on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #HarryPotterExhibition

About Wizarding World:

In the years since Harry Potter™ was whisked from King’s Cross Station onto Platform nine and three quarters, his incredible adventures have left a unique and lasting mark on popular culture. Eight blockbuster films based on the original stories by J.K. Rowling have brought the magical stories to life, and today, the Wizarding World is recognized as one of the world’s best-loved brands.

Representing a vast interconnected universe, it also includes three epic Fantastic Beasts films, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – the multi-award-winning stage-play, state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games, innovative consumer products, thrilling live entertainment (including four theme park lands), insightful exhibitions, as well as a forthcoming Harry Potter TV series.

This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros.-owned Wizarding World tours and retail also includes the flagship Harry Potter New York, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – the Making of Harry Potter,™ Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, and the Platform 9 ¾ retail shops.

The Wizarding World continues to evolve to provide Harry Potter™ fans with fresh and exciting ways to engage. For the worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, it welcomes everyone in to explore and discover the magic for themselves.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment (WBDGTE), part of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences, is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, and licensing of location-based entertainment, live events, exhibits, and theme park experiences based on the biggest franchises, stories and characters from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network and more. WBDGTE is home to the groundbreaking locations of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks around the world, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, The WB Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience, The Game of Thrones Studio Tour and countless other experiences inspired by the Wizarding World, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS and more. With best-in-class partners, WBDGTE allows fans around the world to physically immerse themselves inside their favorite brands and franchises.

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s23)

About Imagine Exhibitions

Atlanta-based world leader in narrative-driven, immersive theatrical design, story-telling, and immersive experiences, Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. creates sophisticated, high-quality experiences for museums, brands, venues, and integrated resorts across the globe. From ideation to operation, Imagines’ team of industry pioneers draws upon decades of success in the fields of immersive design experiences and entertainment to consistently create and implement memorable and thought-provoking environments. The company’s custom experiences deliver focused messaging and serve to increase attendance wherever it is presented. Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. is a global pioneer in traveling entertainment, responsible for many internationally recognized exhibitions such as Harry Potter: The Exhibition, Titanic: The Exhibition, The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, Angry Birds: The Art & Science Behind a Global Phenomenon, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, and Downton Abbey: The Exhibition.  

Imagine Exhibitions is currently presenting more than 40 unique exhibitions in museums, science centers, aquariums, integrated resorts, and non-traditional venues worldwide. The company also continues to design, open, and operate its own venues, along with creating and implementing permanent and semi-permanent museum, brand, entertainment properties, and food and beverage experiences. For more information, visit www.ImagineExhibitions.com or find us on Facebook.

About EMC Events

EMC Presents is a partnership between CTS Eventim, one of the leading international providers of ticketing services and live entertainment, and award-winning tour promoter and producer Michael Cohl, creating one of the strongest global networks of promoters and venues. The partnership provides a comprehensive worldwide live entertainment platform, creating extraordinary shows and experiences, from concept creation to production and promotion. Michael Cohl’s career spans over 45 years as a Producer and Promoter for iconic entertainers, having worked with the world’s most recognized artists including Barbra Streisand, Oprah Winfrey, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and many more. Michael’s strategies are credited with revolutionizing the touring industry worldwide. Besides his storied history in the music industry, Cohl has promoted multiple successful exhibitions including the original King Tut exhibit, “John Lennon: The New York City Years”, Bodies: The Exhibition, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, and Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains. Cohl, previously the chairman of Live Nation, was inducted into the Canadian Rock n Roll/ Music Hall of Fame and has received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Among his many other awards, Cohl has also been honored with an Emmy, the Billboard Legend of Live Award, the TJ Martell Foundation Man of the Year Award, a Peabody Award, and a JUNO Award for Special Achievement.