The Complete Model of Hogwarts

This is the last big room of the Harry Potter Exhibition and contains the huge model of the castle in all its glory.

If you look closely to the right in the photo below, you can see the people looking at the model and get some sense of scale.

There is a lighting rig up at ceiling level around the whole model and the light subtly changes from sunrise, through the day to sunset and darkness as you walk around.

 Night is not an easy light to take photos in, but you can imagine tiny miscreants creeping about the corridors with invisibility cloaks, solemnly swearing they are up to no good!

 

 

And lastly (just before the shop), you come to the wand display: everyone who worked on Harry Potter films apparently has their own wand box, named and stacked on a shelf, or piled on the stairs like new stock waiting to be put away.

There are staff in there who know where most of the names are and particularly the favourites that visitors always ask them to find. They do it with a new enthusiasm each time someone approaches them, even though  they must get asked the same few names over and over again throughout their shift.

Harry Potter - The models

I confess... I LOVE cardboard models of buildings! I have yet to find the same enthusiasm from the rest of my family, but I still can't throw away an interesting box in case it makes something intriguing.

So here is my fascination made real in the Harry Potter Exhibition... Oh to be small enough to go inside them!

Part of Hogwarts:

The Whomping Willow 

Diagon Alley

The Three Broomsticks pub

The Burrow - home of the Weasleys.

Is this where Luna Lovegood lived?

The Owlery

Hogwarts from above: as you walk along the path it leads you up and along so that the you revisit each one from a different perspective,

eventually leading you out to the amazing culmination... so wonderful it made the lady in front of me burst into tears...

But you'll have to wait till next time for that (and that really will be the end of the Harry Potter tour, I promise).

Harry Potter - The Concept Art?

There is a corridor near the end of the exhibition with artwork on the walls done by different artists in a variety of styles.

I'm not sure if any of it was done before the films or if the pieces are artists' responses to various events and themes from the stories.

Anyway its worth a look just to see how different people interpret familiar parts of the stories in completely new ways.

If you click on them, I believe they magically enlarge so you can see them properly (an engorgement charm of some kind no doubt).

Harry Potter - The shop!

It is a lovely place to wander around and, if you have a remarkable amount of self control (or no interest in Harry potter), you can treat it as part of the exhibition and just marvel rather than buy.

                         
                                               There was some serious jewellery.

I heard muttering voices whispering "Have a good look but its cheaper online" and others proudly declaring "There's a website that shows you how to make that for yourself!", but apart from that... the tills were ringing merrily!

                                   Not sure I'd want to own Voldemort's Horcruxes

I gave in to a bar of Honeydukes chocolate that, although not cheap. was delicious, a Marauders' Map note pad for lists and was bought a Ravenclaw Sealing Wax set with stamp.

 

 You could spend a fortune ...

 (tiny Hogwarts babygrows anyone?)

and many were!

I know I said this was it and I'd finished... but I forgot I had pics of the artwork, concept art and models used... and how could I have forgotten the HUGE model of Hogwarts castle and grounds at the end??
So more to come.