British Library's Harry Potter Exhibition to Open at the N-YHS in October 2018

The British Library is delighted to announce that Harry Potter: A History of Magic will open at the New-York Historical Society in October 2018, following its run at the British Library in London from 20 October 2017 -- 28 February 2018.

The exhibition’s New York opening marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US by Scholastic, following the 20th anniversary celebrations of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK in 2017.

Ahead of the UK opening in London, Harry Potter: A History of Magic has already sold over 25,000 tickets - the highest amount of advance tickets ever sold for a British Library exhibition. Tickets are available to buy from the British Library website.

The exhibition unveils rare books, manuscripts, and magical objects from the British Library’s collection, capturing the traditions of folklore and magic at the heart of the Harry Potter stories. Exploring the subjects studied at Hogwarts, the exhibition includes original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter illustrator Jim Kay, going on display for the first time. 

As it travels from London to New York, the exhibition will evolve to include US-specific artefacts from New-York Historical’s collection and items from US Harry Potter publisher Scholastic’s collection.

Jamie Andrews, Head of Culture and Learning at the British Library, said:

“We are so excited to be taking a major exhibition to New York for the very first time. Harry Potter: A History of Magic promises to be a stunning exhibition, capturing the traditions of folklore and magic across the world, which are at the heart of the Harry Potter stories. We’re delighted to be able to share this exhibition with fans across the pond following its run here in London, especially as we have the opportunity to develop the exhibition for a US audience in collaboration with the New-York Historical Society and US publisher Scholastic.”

Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of the New-York Historical Society, said: 

“As the oldest museum in New York, the New-York Historical Society is honoured to present Harry Potter: A History of Magic in 2018 and bring these incredible treasures from the British Library to a whole new audience. The Harry Potter series has turned a generation into avid readers, and they’re sure to be enchanted by this fascinating exploration of magical traditions and myths from across the world, which make the Harry Potter series so rich and exciting.”

US fans will also get a sneak peek of what to expect in the exhibition. On 20 October 2017, marking the day the exhibition opens in London, Scholastic will publish one of the two accompanying titles, Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic. Aimed at a family audience, this book showcases a selection of the amazing artefacts, manuscripts, original artwork, and magical objects included in the exhibition. Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic will be published by Scholastic simultaneously with UK print publishers Bloomsbury on 20 October alongside the eBook edition, which will be published in both markets by Pottermore.

In autumn 2018, to accompany the exhibition in New York, Scholastic will also publish an official comprehensive companion book, Harry Potter: A History of Magic. A collaboration between the publishers and British Library curators, this lavishly produced, full-colour coffee-table book will make the exhibition experience available to everyone. Again, a digital edition will be published by Pottermore - this edition will have enhancements allowing the content to be navigated in multiple, digital-first ways and will feature additional visuals of exhibition artefacts.