Museum of Science and Industry

Magical Creatures of Harry Potter™: The Exhibition

In Harry Potter: The Exhibition, you will see the amazing detail that went into bringing magical creatures to life in the Harry Potter films.

Buckbeak™

In the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™, Rubeus Hagrid™ is named Care of Magical Creatures teacher.  During their first lesson, Hagrid introduces his students to Buckbeak, a Hippogriff.  (Hippogriffs have the head of a giant eagle and the body of a horse.)  After warning the class that Hippogriffs are easily offended, and must be approached with caution, he encourages Harry to bow to Buckbeak and see if Buckbeak will let Harry touch him.  When things go well, Buckbeak actually allows Harry to climb on, and takes him on a memorable flight over Hogwarts™ and the surrounding countryside.

In Harry Potter: The Exhibition, you’ll encounter Buckbeak in the pumpkin patch outside Hagrid’s hut.

Acromantula

In the second film in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we learn that Rubeus Hagrid cared for an Acromantula (monstrous spider) named “Aragog” when Hagrid was a student at Hogwarts.  During Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, Harry and Ron venture into Aragog’s lair in the Forbidden Forest in the hopes of learning a clue about the Chamber of Secrets.  Although Aragog provides them with some helpful information, he does not protect them from his children – a colony of hungry Acromantula – and they barely escape hundreds of clicking, razor-sharp pincers.

Wander into the Forbidden Forest area of Harry Potter: The Exhibition and you will encounter an Acromantula.

Hungarian Horntail Dragon

In the fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hogwarts hosts the Triwizard Tournament™, which is a competition between three schools of wizardry.  Although Harry does not enter his name into the selection process for the Tournament, he is nonetheless chosen by the Goblet of Fire™ and is bound by magical contract to compete – whether he wants to or not – in the dangerous tasks ahead.

The first task involves collecting a golden egg from the clutches of a dragon and Harry is randomly assigned the most dangerous dragon:  the Hungarian Horntail.  With its spiked tail and enormous fire-breathing range, the dragon proves quite a match for Harry.

You will get a chance to come face-to-face with this menacing beast in Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

Hands-On with Harry Potter: The Exhibition