Harry Potter: the Exhibition!

Me in front of the Ford Anglia outside the exhibit. This is the only thing you're allowed to photograph!

Unless you've been living in a hole for the last few months, every Chicago Harry Potter fan knows about the exhibit opening soon at the Museum of Science and Industry: Harry Potter: the Exhibition. It's not open to the public yet, but my sister's boyfriend works at the exhibit, so we got to see it at a free Friends and Family preview on Saturday! Squee!!!!

There are absolutely, positively NO PICTURES ALLOWED. This was particularly hard for me; my camera was practically burning a hole in my purse as I came within inches of original costumes! On display: Snape's robes, which are every bit as fabulous as I suspected, in silk faille and wool; all the major professors' robes, including Slughorn, Madam Hooch, Professor Sprout, Professor Umbrage (matching shoes!) and a scale reproduction of Hagrid's clothes inside his hut! The entire exhibit is a Potter fanatic's dream, and the flow is very good; you pass through the dormitory, the teacher's area, the Quidditch room, Hagrid's hut, the Dark Arts room, and finally, the Great Hall (with candles suspended overhead!).

The Dark Arts room was the most impressive to me; I salivated over Lucius Malfoy's costume (pewter snake clasps on his fur robes!), shivered in front of the full-size Angel of Death sculpture (when you stand in front of it, there is a directional sound cue with Voldemort whispering in your ear!); and stood transfixed at the life-size, suspended Dementor, which is just as scary in real life as it looks on screen.

From the opening Sorting Hat ceremony, to the closing views of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's costumes, I was blown away by the detail and scope of the entire exhibition. Even the gift shop is impressive, done up as Diagon Alley! These pics are taken from the site, and are the only ones available right now. Go and see the exhibit when it opens April 30th; you won't be disappointed!