Harry Potter and the History of Magic

So it’s the coldest day of the season, single digit temperatures (9 degrees in Central Park), with a wind chill factor making it feel like it’s well below zero.

So what do you think I did on such a bone-chilling day?

Drew and I bundled up as if we were on an expedition to the Artic, and then caught a train into the city and headed to the New York Historical Society.

It’s a small museum at 77th Street and Central Park West, across the street from the American Museum of Natural History.  Most of the exhibits focus on the history of New York City.  But right now they’ve got a special exhibit: 

Harry Potter A History of Magic.  It’s based on a similar exhibit at the British Library, and many items on display are on loan from that exhibit.  It’s not to be confused with Harry Potter: the Exhibition, an exhibit of artifacts from the Harry Potter movies.

Once again I am amazed at J. K. Rowling’s talent, imagination, and the broad knowledge she as of history, myth and folklore.

The exhibition focuses on Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (published in America as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), which was first published in 1999.  The exhibit includes pages of Rowling’s handwritten manuscript, her outlines for all 7 books (she knew the story would resolve at the Battle of Hogwarts befo the first book was published), and her sketches of the characters.  There is also original artwork from the illustrators who worked on each book.

But what makes this exhibit really interesting are the real-world books and artifacts about magic.  You walk through rooms labeled “potions”, “divination”, “charms”, etc. — each room representing a class Harry takes at Hogwarts.    In each room, there are displays about Harry’s world along side real-world books and artifacts.  So in  “divination”, for example, we learn how Rowling envisioned Professor Trelawney, then we learn about crystal balls, tarot cards, palmistry and reading tea leaves.

Some of the exhibits are interactive:use a crystal ball, predict the future with tarot cards, mix a potion.

And, of course, there’s a gift shop.  Drew bought a book about the exhibit. I bought a chocolate frog; the wizard card inside was Godric Griffindor.  The card is holographic, to suggest movement.

Unfortunately you can’t take photos inside the exhibit.

But you can get a taste of the exhibit 

here.