New Harry Potter: The History of Magic Exhibit Opens in London
Category: News Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK
A new British Library exhibition is tracing the history of magic to mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
With the orphaned boy wizard as guiding force, the exhibit, which opens Friday (October 20), has broken records for advance sales at the London library. More than 30,000 tickets have been snapped up so far.
The exhibit, “Harry Potter: A History Of Magic,” looks at magic and the nature of belief, revealing that many of the things fans of the series thought were imaginary were actually based in fact — or folklore. “I’ve taken liberties with folklore,” Rowling says in a video that opens the show, which features rare books and manuscripts from around the world, together with cauldrons, broomsticks, crystal balls and potion manuals that offer insights into Rowling’s inspiration for the Harry Potter books.
It also includes Rowling’s outline for the book, her personal drawings of characters and a map of Hog-warts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. “There are some rich historical traditions behind the magic in the Harry Potter stories, which J.K. Rowling was aware of,” said Alexander Lock, one of the exhibit curators, who added that he was impressed with Rowling’s ability to layer information and offer depth. “They go into the stories and make them so rich.”