It’s impossible to go to London without paying a visit to the iconic Warner Bros. Studios in Watford for the obligatory tour of The Making of Harry Potter.
Fortunately, Potterheads have something else to enjoy in the upcoming months: the studio has now unveiled a brand-new feature exploring the mythical creatures from the films.
Titled Mandrakes and Magical Creatures, the exhibition will explore how the weird and wonderful creatures from the Harry Potter universe are brought to life through special effects and incredible puppets.
As an extra treat, Professor Sprout’s greenhouse will also be opening for the first time, allowing fans to look inside one of iconic sets from the Harry Potter films.
According to the website, visitors will enter the Great Hall “to the Frog Choir scene as seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, featuring the costume of conductor of the choir, Professor Flitwick, as worn by Warwick Davis.”
It teases that visitors should be on the lookout for “favourite magical creatures” such as " Cornish Pixies, Dumbledore’s beloved Fawkes and the animatronic Monster Book of Monsters.”
Other treats include a visit to the Hogwarts greenhouse, where an interactive display will allow visitors to pull potted Mandrakes from their beds and witness the Venomous Tentacula hanging from the ceiling.
The exhibition’s opening comes at an exciting time for Harry Potter fans, as April saw the release of new Fantastic Beasts film The Secrets of Dumbledore.
The third film in the franchise, The Secrets of Dumbledore explores how Newt Scamander and his group of friends plot to bring down the evil Gellert Grindelwald, previously played by Johnny Depp.
It also introduces the viewer to a new menagerie of creatures from the wizarding world. In addition to fan-favourites like the Niffler and Bowtruckle, viewers will also get to see creatures like the Manticore and Diricawl – which have previously only been described in the pages of spin-off textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The Mandrakes and Magical Creatures exhibition will be open between 1 July and 12 September 2022.
