Journey to where magic and myth began! Capturing the traditions of folklore and magic at the heart of the Harry Potter stories, Harry Potter: A History of Magic, a British Library exhibition, combines century—old treasures including rare books, manuscripts, and magical objects from the collections of the British Library and New-York Historical Society—with original material from Harry Potter publisher Scholastic and J.K. Rowling’s own archives. From medieval descriptions of dragons and griffins to the origins of the sorcerer’s stone, visitors will explore the subjects studied at Hogwarts and see original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling as well as Harry Potter illustrator Jim Kay.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the U.S. publication of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, New-York Historical will display illustrator Brian Selznick’s artwork that will appear on the covers of the Harry Potter series to be published by Scholastic later this year. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opens on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition.

Throughout the run of the exhibition, join us at the Museum for engaging and interactive activities sure to delight Harry Potter fans of all ages! Purchase tickets for monthly fun trivia nights, which put fans’ knowledge of the Wizarding World to the test, starting April 26. Additional family and adult programs will be unveiled in the coming months.