Tucked in the corner of Covent Garden, London, is a window into the magical world. The Harry Potter On Location exhibition is a new Harry Potter experience, perfect for super fans (like myself) to see the wizarding world in a new light. Sharing behind-the-scenes photos, never-before-seen props and costumes, and Europes first and only butterbeer bar. Yes, you read that right, a butterbeer bar! Keep on reading to see what the butterbeer is like…
I’m a life-long Harry Potter fan. Well, since the age of six, and I’ve been obsessed with the magical world. So I wanted to bring you along with me, and share my real and honest thoughts about it.
What is the Harry Potter On Location Exhibition, and where is it?
So, the Harry Potter On Location Exhibition is a look at the behind-the-scenes, specifically the locations used in the Wizarding World films.
They go in-depth into the locations, how they chose them, the difficulties presented, and more. It really is a new look at how the films are created.
The Harry Potter On Location Exhibition is in Covent Garden, London, next to the Transport For London Museum. Not to be mistaken for the Studio Tour, this is in Central London and is more about the locations used for films.
I promise you, you’ll come away with a list of places you want to visit to see these locations in real life!
As well as photos, videos, props, and costumes, you can also ride broomsticks and have your photo taken for your Ministry of Magic pass.
The most unique thing about this Harry Potter experience is the Bottled Butterbeer Bar. It is the first in Europe and sells butterbeer by the bottle. Having tasted butterbeer at the Studio Tour, I wasn’t a fan, but this new version is gorgeous! It’s sweet and almost like liquid fudge – safe to say I’m a fan! You can sit back and relax in the bar, have lunch, cake, and your butterbeer. If you buy your drink there, you get your butterbeer and a branded tankard for £6.50. If you buy the butterbeer in the shop, you don’t get the tankard, and it costs £4.95 for one or £12 for four.
How much does it cost to go to Harry Potter On Location Exhibition?
Booking is essential for entry, however, it’s not overcrowded once you’re in.
An adult ticket is £20 and a child’s ticket is £14 (up to age 15). There are family tickets for £56 and under 4’s go free.
Once you’re in, you can go on the broomstick ride and get your Ministry of Magic pass. It’s free to do, however, if you want the photos and video, these do cost. It was between £20 and £30 to get these. I decided not to as for me, it didn’t seem worth it, and I’d rather buy things in the shop!
I was surprised at how good the value for money was in the butterbeer bar. We had lunch here as well, and panini’s (freshly made) were £8.50 and came with Leaky Cauldron Crisps. It was filling, fresh, and tasted delicious. They also had a kids menu and smaller items which were cheaper.
Once you got in the shop, it was very much like the other Harry Potter shops, with items for all budgets. From Chocolate Frogs (£8.95) to keyrings (starting from £5.95) to higher-priced items like trunks and jumpers.
Is it worth it?
As a Harry Potter fan, I would say YES this is worth it, and good value for money. I definitely feel that it’s geared towards the older fans, and I don’t think kids would be quite as excited, compared to the studio tour. It’s less interactive but filled with so much information and magic.
A special mention to every single person who works there, making it a truly magical experience. The facts that everyone has are incredible, and there is plenty of staff there, chatting to you and telling you all the facts they’ve learned. In the butterbeer bar, they give you the lowdown on all things butterbeer, and the people in the shop are asking all about how you found it!
I’d love to know, what’s your Hogwarts House? Let me know in the comments. If you have any questions about the Harry Potter On Location Exhibition, ask away and I’ll do my best to answer. Sections of Harry Potter were filmed in Scotland, so if you’re planning a trip, make sure you check out my Scotland section. I have a few more Harry Potter posts & location posts coming, so make sure you join the mailing list to be the first to hear about them.
