I was up in London this weekend and took my two granddaughters, Florence and Beatrice to the above exhibition. Florence has read nearly all the Harry Potter books now, has seen all the films, has a Gryffindor set of china etc and Hermione's robes and a wand – she is very fond of shouting Expelliarmus at me…
She was therefore keen on seeing this and it did not disappoint. The rooms are divided into Astronomy, Divination, Spells etc – in short all the lessons an up and coming wizard is taught at Hogwarts. There are plenty of illustrations from the books, a cabinet full of the 
various translations of HP all over the world and a flickering Golden Snitch shooting around the walls. In the Spells section you can mix your own spells courtesy of the magic of computers and lots of interaction for those attending.
The British Library says this on their website:
"We unveil rare books, manuscripts and magical objects from the British Library’s collection, capturing the traditions of folklore and magic which are at the heart of the Harry Potter stories. Marvel at original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling and illustrator Jim Kay, both on display for the first time.
See the gargantuan 16th-century Ripley Scroll that explains how to create a Philosopher’s Stone. Gaze at Sirius in the night sky as imagined by medieval astronomers. Encounter hand-coloured pictures of dragons, unicorns and a phoenix rising from the flames"
There is a wonderful full length beautifully drawn panorama of Diagon Alley, intricately done and showing all the shops and signs that are located there. I wish I could have taken a photograph but, on checking, was told that I was not allowed to take pictures which is understandable but my fingers were itching. I nearly took a sly shot on my phone but remembered that I needed to set a good example to Flo and Bea and resisted.
JK Rowling used many of the books and exhibits in her research for her creation but is quite clear that all of her magic was made up by her. So nobody had better say anything else…
Please have a look at this video which explains the background of all the artifacts and, in particular, the Ripley Scroll which is about eighteen feet long and fully displayed under a glass case and easy to see. It is quite beautiful and the colours are vibrant and alive and totally fascinating.
Of course there is the obligatory exhibition shop at the end of it all – this is a given and there are two wonderful books produced by Bloomsbury in conjunction with the British Library. They are absolutely beautifully done and illustrated and well worth having – yes they are linked with Harry Potter but the background of all that is in the exhibition is explained so it can be read at a leisurely pace. One of the books has a gloriously coloured illustration of Fawkes on the cover and this is echoed in badges, postcards, magnets etc. It is an excellent choice as the fiery orange really catches the eye.
A really interesting and fun visit. I should mention, however, that I think it is for children of about 8 upwards as there is a lot to take in and younger children might find it a bit boring. Beatrice, who is five, began to flag towards the end but did enjoy nearly all of it. When you purchase tickets you are given a time slot which is sensible so it never gets overcrowded and, though you do have to be a bit patient in looking and trying exhibits, it is not tedious and everyone has time and space to see everything properly.
The exhibition runs to February 2018 and would make a great Christmas treat for all Harry Potter fans of whatever age.
We had a great time.
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