Harry Potter: A History of Magic
Children-Focused Family Tour
Bring your children and grandchildren to discover the history behind the magic of the Harry Potter series. From medieval descriptions of dragons and griffins to the origins of the sorcerer’s stone, we will explore the subjects studied at Hogwarts and see original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling on this child-focused tour of the British Library’s blockbuster exhibition Harry Potter: A History of Magic. Historical manuscripts will show many of the creatures that inspired Rowling, including a 16th-century French folio devoted to the mythical Phoenix with an illustration that isn’t unlike Dumbledore’s beloved pet Fawkes! In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the New-York Historical Society will also display illustrator Brian Selznick’s artwork that will appear on the covers of a new edition of the Harry Potter series to be published later this year. We will also get a behind the scenes look at costumes and set models from the Broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
