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Must-See Spots for Harry Potter Fans in NYC

From Harry Potter: The Exhibition to the Harry Potter store, NYC is full of spellbinding activities for Potterheads.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

 

New York City has its own wizarding world if you know where to look. Whether you're exploring the eye-popping wonders at Harry Potter: The Exhibition, seeing how the story continues at a showing of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, tracing the locations featured in the Fantastic Beasts films, or or trying your hand at the city’s very own Potions class, there are adventures to be found for Potterheads all over town. Here is a list of must-see spots for fans to get the full Harry Potter experience in NYC.

 

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Image: Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Immerse yourself in the wizarding world in this interactive exhibit that caters to die-hard fans and newcomers alike, featuring authentic props and costumes. You'll wander through iconic locations like Hogwarts classrooms and Hagrid's Hut, getting a tangible feel for all things Harry Potter.

Once you enter and receive your specialized bracelet, you can explore a range of interactive stations. Experience a Sorting Hat ceremony that gets you assigned to a Hogwarts house—just like in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Engage in the art of potion-making within the Potions Classroom, foresee the future in Divination, tend to mandrakes in the Herbology Greenhouse, face boggarts head-on (armed with a digital wand) in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and test your skills in a thrilling Quidditch experience.

Along with all these activities— and plenty of photo ops—visitors also get to learn about all the movie magic that went into creating the Harry Potter series. After you've explored all of the magical experiences, don't forget to pop by the expansive gift shop, where you can sample Butterbeer and browse an extensive collection of wands, jackets, and other Potter-themed treasures.

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

50 W. 34th St., New York, NY 10001, new-york.harrypotterexhibition.com

 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Image: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Go on an epic adventure with a new generation of wizards in this spellbinding play. Set 19 years after the events of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Harry Potter and the Cursed Child picks up where the books left off, delving into the lives of Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco as adults, now parents themselves. In the production, Albus, one of Harry Potter’s sons, teams up with Scorpius, the son of Harry’s rival Draco Malfoy, to once again save the world from dark forces. Fans of Harry Potter can expect to see familiar characters and be introduced to new ones in  a story that tackles impactful themes such as of loss, societal alienation, and the complexities of parenting within the magical realm. 

Originally premiering on London’s West End in 2016, it won a record number of Olivier Awards (the UK’s equivalent to the Tonys), before hedging stateside where it nabbed the Tony for Best Play in 2018 for its production at the Lyric Theater (where you can still see it today). 

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Lyric Theater, 214 W. 43rd St., New York, NY 10036, broadway.harrypottertheplay.com

 

Harry Potter New York store

Harry Potter Store NYC

Image: Harry Potter store NYC

Stepping into Harry Potter New York is a must for any Potterhead. This multi-floor store in the Flatiron District has a massive collection of Harry Potter merchandise, including exclusive items only available at this location. 

Indulge in Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans and chocolate frogs, pick up collector’s editions of the Harry Potter books and discover unique collectibles, stationery, and toys. There’s even Hogwarts -themed apparel and home decor that allows you to bring even more magic into your space.

Beyond the merchandise, the store itself is an experience: interactive elements pepper the space so that you can immerse yourself in the adventure: snap a photo in a London phone box just like the one that transports the characters to the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, or spot Nagini the snake on the ceiling of the Dark Arts cellar (see if you can hear him whispering Parseltongue to passersby.)

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

935 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, harrypotterstore.com
 

The Cauldron NYC

The Cauldron NYC

Image: The Cauldron NYC

If you’ve ever wanted to take a potions class with Professor Snape, try heading to The Cauldron NYC for their signature Potion-Making experience. During this 1 hour 45 minute class, you learn to make two molecular cocktails (or mocktails)—using wands and cauldrons, naturally. The Cauldron has two locations (one on Stone Street in the Financial District, and one on 26th Street in Flatiron), and the class is offered at both. You can also partake in along other experiences such a Wizard Afternoon Tea where you can concoct your own brews, and a holiday-themed hot chocolate making class (only at Flatiron).  If you’d rather have an expert wizard brew your potions, then you can also book a table at the onsite restaurant, where seasonal elixirs and bites are on offer. The menu varies at each location, so check the menus for the downtown and Flatiron locations ahead of time to see what tickles your fancy.

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Stone Street: 47 Stone St., New York, NY 10004 / Flatiron: 127 W. 26th St., New York, NY 10001 / thecauldron.io/nyc

Tannen’s Magic Shop

Tannens Magic Shop

Image: Tannen's Magic Shop

You’re more likely to run into Harry Houdini than Harry Potter here, but Tannen’s Magic Shop may be the best resource for muggles interested in learning how to actually do magic. As New York’s oldest operating magic shop, Tannen’s has been in business since 1925 and offers an extensive array of tricks, props, books, and accessories to help both beginners and pros perform just about any type of magic imaginable, from card magic to coin magic to levitations, illusions, and escapes. Beyond sales, it's a community hub, hosting lectures and workshops from veteran magic-makers, offering a book club and private lessons, and sponsoring a summer camp for young magicians. 

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

45 W. 34th St. #608, New York, NY 10001, tannens.com

 

Fantastic Beasts Walking Tour

Brooklyn Bridge subway

Image: Julian Dunn/Flickr

This extensive walking tour spotlights filming locations featured in the Fantastic Beasts films, offering intriguing behind-the-scenes details at spots such as the Second Salem Church and the Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall Subway Station. You’ll visit the real buildings that stood in for fictional locations like Jacob's Cake Shop and Tina and Queenie's house, explore the Diamond District for the elusive Niffler, and head to Central Park, the site of the Erumpent's capture. Starting at One New York Plaza, the five-hour tour is led by a knowledgeable guide who shares little-known stories about these locations, complemented by movie clips. 

The tour is offered via Go City’s Explorer Pass, which provides access to a number of  NYC attractions from a vast selection that you can redeem over the course of a specific time period (varying by pierce level, but typically ranging from 30 days to a year).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: gocity.com

About the Author

Shiloh Frederick is a born-and-raised Brooklynite who is devoted to helping people (and herself) make the most out of living in and exploring New York City. Shiloh specializes in NYC history, the city’s architecture, and things to do, and is the author of the blog Shiloh in the City.

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