Harry Potter exhibition: This is what fans can expect in Cologne

Many fans of the Harry Potter series have probably already wanted to immerse themselves in the magical world surrounding the famous magic student. In the new interactive exhibition “Harry Potter: Visions of Magic” they can – at least a little.

“Harry Potter: Visions of Magic”: This is available on 3,000 square meters

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, NEON and the Explorado Group have built a paradise for Harry Potter fans in the Odysseum in Cologne. Visitors can discover mysterious places on over 3,000 square meters.

Among other things, you can walk through the Room of Requirements, where dusty chairs are stacked up to the ceiling and huge chess pieces seem to be waiting for the first move. The Hall of Prophecies is also a visual highlight. In it there is one glass ball next to the other, a prophecy floating around in all of them. Light effects make the shelves shine or envelope the room in complete darkness. In Newt’s Menagerie, the cute Nifflers, who are very reminiscent of moles, are looking for treasure and crawl across meter-high projection surfaces. The brave can also take a walk through Knockturn Alley, the dark counterpart to the friendly Diagon Alley.

Interactive Harry Potter exhibition: In search of magical traces

In addition to these worlds, there is a lot more to discover – what will not be revealed at this point. In any case, the fans who were allowed to take a look before the actual opening were enthusiastic. “I have been a fan from the very beginning and have read both the books and watched the films,” says Birgit Lauschus, who traveled to Cologne from Dinslaken. “It’s so much fun to be able to immerse yourself in the worlds. Plus, I felt like a kid with the magic wand.”

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Opening with star guests from the Harry Potter films

Oliver and James Phelps, who played the Weasley twins Fred and George in the Harry Potter films, had a similar experience. As surprise guests, they were allowed to visit the exhibition before anyone else. “We went through it yesterday and it really blew us away. I immediately remembered how much fun it was to wave the magic wand back then,” says James Phelps.

Wands are a good keyword. At the beginning of the art experience, each visitor is given a magic wand and is allowed to train a bit with it. Then we look for traces of magic that hide as little clouds of mist in the exhibition. A flick of the magic wand makes them disappear and great surprises appear – be it an owl, the golden snitch or colorful fireworks.

Harry Potter fans become wizards’ apprentices

The whole experience is of course accompanied by appropriate sound effects and atmospheric music. The changing light effects create a very special atmosphere. As Harry Potter fans delve further and further into the magical world around Hogwarts, they quickly lose their sense of time. Well, you were just standing in the Ministry of Magic and suddenly someone was waiting around the next corner to collect the magic wands again. Just as quickly as you become a sorcerer’s apprentice in Cologne, you also become a Muggle again – i.e. a perfectly normal person without any magical powers.

Opening hours and prices: