If you are a Harry Potter fan than the Harry Potter Exhibit in Philadelphia is your go to experience. Its located inside of the Franklin Institute. This is my preparation list of things to be mindful if you are attending. If you are a parent there are some information for you to be prepared to expect as well. My son and I (and baby Yoda) attended and it was magical.
Harry Potter Exhibit Tickets
This is important. This exhibit is not having an issue at all with selling tickets. Be sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time. It will sell out fast especially on the weekends. If you are looking for walk in tickets you run the possibility of not getting same day tickets at your time of choice. If you live in Philadelphia this may not necessarily bother you. Traveling out of the city? Please reconsider. My son and I went on a Monday following Easter and that was taking a risk as is with crowd control. Looking for a potential smaller crowd? Get your tickets for the first showing in the morning and go Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Thursday.
Children 3 and up will need a ticket. Ticket prices are 3-11 years old are $39 and 12 and up are $43. You can go to the evening shows that start at 5-8pm are 30 for both children and adults. Keep in mind the last entry is always at 6:30pm. You get to also have access to the Franklin Institute with your ticket price. If you are a member of the Franklin Institute tickets are $20. There is also VIP available for $59 for ages 3 and up.
Parking
There is an official parking deck of the Franklin Institute. However depending on when you go, the lot runs a risk of being full. There is ample parking around the Franklin Institute provided there are no other major events taking place in the city. We went to a parking lot that was a few blocks away and paid $18 for 5 hours. The parking garage is $20 for a full day of being at the Franklin Institute. So I didn’t save a whole lot of money but a save is still a save. I got to the Franklin Institute at 11am and the parking was already full. Keep in mind I am not sure if that is a normal flow or because there were a lot of children off of school Easter Monday.
Pack Some Patience
This is key. Just like anything else, crowds are real. For now there is the mask mandate in place. Be prepared to have to wear a mask the entire time you are inside of the Exhibit and the rest of the Franklin Institute. You will be asked to mask up and provided with a mask if you do not have one. Due to crowds there were little issues with lack of patience from other patrons. It wasn’t bad nor did I experience any issues that were out of control. Pack your patience. Know that there will be times when someone is attempting to get around you. Same thing in the eatery. There were times when lines were a little long.
The staff did an amazing job helping everyone get through it. If you are need of help the staff is wearing baby blue shirts and will do their best to assist you. My son lost his mask at one point-(found it later) and they supplied him with another one.
Harry Potter Experience
It was well worth the time that we spent. The Harry Potter Experience is self guided. However there is an option to pay for an audio that will guide you through. There is no time limit to be inside the exhibit. Most people can get through for 60-90 minutes. Plan to enjoy your time by going to the bathroom and any other relief you may need. I am not sure what the policy is for exiting and coming back in. There are plenty of interactive rooms. There are picture places that will blow your magical mind. Be mindful that no professional camera is allowed inside. Have fun and take in all of the magic.
If you are an ultimate Potter fan, its a place full of nostalgia. There are plenty of space to see, touch-when appropriate and more. There is security inside at various high traffic spots to protect the items. As with life, don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you.
Basic Information for you Harry Potter Experience:
If you are looking to explore in the Franklin Institute before your Harry Potter Experience, come at least 2 hours before your time. There is no VIP line although there is a VIP experience. You will be told where to meet-by the Harry Potter sign when its time. Wear comfortable shoes. My son was there from 11-4:30 and it was nothing but pure walking.
You can not eat or drink inside of the exhibit. However there are plenty of lunchroom space, and the Eatery for you to eat and enjoy. Also many parents packed their kids lunch. I didn’t because I expected to come in and go right into the Harry Potter Experience and that wasn’t the case. My son and I had snacks and lunch while there. The price for food was comparable to any other experience we went to. The food was fine. The Franklin Institute is 3 floors of exploration. You won’t get bored. Hand sanitizer is located all through the exhibit. Use them.
Kid Time
I had my son who is 10 years old. He had a blast. Since we were there since 11am and our time for the Harry Potter ended up being later than that, we ended up making it a full day. There are so much to see and experience I am not sure if we did everything and yet we did nothing twice. I had never been to the Franklin Institute before so it was a treat for me to explore. Have a game plan for food and drinks. Kids will want to play save yourself the arguments by making sure they go to the bathroom especially before the Harry Potter Exhibit. I also packed things like candy, and smaller snacks so that my son and I was okay.
There were minor tantrums from children in general. The most I saw were kids who couldn’t keep their masks on. A few kids who were oblivious to other kids in certain spaces-all of this is to be expected if you are going to spaces where large amounts of children are. It was great seeing parents take accountability for their children. We all want to be able to enjoy the day so be mindful of that while there.
Harry Potter Gift Shop
I have been hearing that there are times when the gift shop were running out of items. This may have been more in the beginning of their opening. I can’t lie, like most gift shop this one is pricey. We did purchase a keep sake photo for $25. My son got a t-shirt and I got a keychain-the damage was about $85 dollars. There are price points that are lower but of course the stuff people really want comes with a hefty price tag. So be clear on that prior to going. For a family of my size, if we all would have went it would have been at least an almost $400 day even without going to the gift shop. This is an experience you want to plan ahead for if you are budgeting.
Things to Do:
- Get your tickets early
- Arrive at least 2 hours before your Harry Potter Experience time
- Pack a lunch and snacks to save money on food (there are several restaurants nearby you could take a break and enjoy) keep your wrist band on to avoid having to repay for entry
- Parking could be full inside the lot, be prepared to park a few blocks and walk
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Bring hand sanitizer and use theirs inside of the exhibits
- Follow all of the rules so you aren’t asked to leave
- Pack patience
- Be prepared to spend money in the gift shop
- Bring a backup charger and cord
- Have fun and enjoy the magical time
Thank you to Warner Brothers and Allied Global for having me and my son. We made a lot of memories and had the best time. The Harry Potter Experience is here in Philadelphia until September.
The Franklin Institute believes that science can be fun. You and your child (if you have them) will explore through the use of touch, sight, and more. There are at least 10 rooms to enjoy if not more. Adults and children will learn as they play. Enjoy it.
