Harry Potter: The Exhibition has Portkeyed into Melbourne. The attraction dives deep behind the scenes of the Wizarding World, displaying real props and costumes from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films as well as the stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Every room you enter has its own theme and is decorated accordingly. Guests can explore the Forbidden Forest, fight a boggart in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and discover the Ministry of Magic. There are many photo opportunities, from sitting in Hagrid’s chair to repotting Mandrakes to battling against your friends or family in a re-creation of the final battle. And of course, the costumes and props on display are fascinating. The curators did a great job bringing the magical world to life—and seemingly had a blast doing it, which you could see reflected back in the faces of everyone experiencing it.

One of my favorite parts of the exhibition is the interactive potion brewing element, in which guests choose a potion, read the potion book, and select the ingredients. Once the potion is completed correctly, the cauldron lights up. It felt very magical.

My favorite room was the Ministry of Magic. First, you can experience a Portkey, which lands you in a different location each time you touch the boot. Next, you enter the ministry through one of its fireplaces connected to the Floo Network and you can take pictures of yourself sitting in Dolores Umbridge’s chair and at the phone booth. The curators went all out with the number of photo opportunities.

The Deathly Hallows display, which shows the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak, is another highlight. Can you spot the cloak in the photo below? This bit of humor was one of my favorite moments of the exhibition.

My only complaint is with the interactive aspects. When you arrive at the exhibition, you receive a wristband, which is used to activate them. However, they’re mostly underwhelming, with the band frequently not working. On many of them, you choose one option, and it comes up with your preselected elements, which sort of squashes your creativity. I understand why guests aren’t allowed to do the activities multiple times, but it was a bit disappointing. I would have loved to be able to choose multiple options to see the different results at each interactive station.

For any Potterhead, it is a no-brainer to go, but as someone who has had the privilege of experiencing Warner Bros. Studio Tours London and Tokyo, it didn’t measure up to those two locations. However, it was a well-put-together exhibition and worth a visit.

Also, before you leave, make sure you stop off to grab a butterbeer, which includes a souvenir cup.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is in Melbourne until June 9, 2025.