Hogwarts Exterior | Harry Potter Studio Tour 6 of 6

The last part of the Harry Potter Studio Tour was this massive model of Hogwarts. It took up an entire room and was quite beautiful. I think it's the perfect ending to the tour. We spent a lot of time in this last room. I knew it was the end and I wasn't ready to leave yet. I just wanted a little more time in the fictional world. There is something about the world of Harry Potter that sticks with you. It's not just the amazing characters or unforgettable story. It's also the feelings that it invokes and it truly is a magical world.

Diagon Alley & Ministry of Magic | Harry Potter Studio Tour 5 of 6

Magic is Might

As I said before, the Harry Potter Studio Tour was massive. We could've spent all day there, since there was so much to see and explore. Two of the most impressive and easily recognizable sets were Diagon Alley and The Ministry of Magic. Besides The Great Hall, these are the other most recognizable locations from Harry Potter.

Seeing the Magic is Might monument from The Ministry was pretty cool. I didn't think it was that massive, but when I finally walked up to it, it was quite big and really detailed. Markus, James and Ari were wandering about the other sets, and I was a bit tired. So, I sat down on a bench below the statue. While I was sitting there, I imagined myself as a Ministry worker on a lunch break. There were heaps of people walking about with wands and cloaks, so it only added to my daydream. It was a bit silly, but it was a moment I enjoyed.

As you can tell from the photos, Diagon Alley wasn't as big as you would think. I think that's the magic of movies. When you see the films, you imagine a larger than life world and seeing it in real life takes a little of the magic away. It doesn't ruin the films, but it's still a bit jarring. I will say that the amount of detail and work that went into these shops were amazing. I wish they let us walk into the shops, but I know they were just for show. It was still a wonderful experience and more than just seeing a set from Harry Potter. It was like stepping into another time period, it was almost Dickensian and it was awesome.

Olivanders Wand Shop

Wands galore!

Homes & Masks | Harry Potter Studio Tour 4 of 6

Hagrid's Home

The other areas of the first studio had sets and props from other famous places in the world of Harry Potter. There were the homes of Hagrid, Sirius Black and the Weasley family. I will say that it's super awkward seeing this sort of headless mannequins dressed as all the characters. I do like that they had something, but seeing my favorite characters clothing without heads is slightly off putting.

The Leaky Cauldron

Weasley's Home

Sirius Black's Home

The second studio was filled with even more interesting things. The first part delved into special effects and showcased a lot of the monsters and makeup. It was crazy seeing how detailed and intricate the masks were for some of the characters. I'm pretty sure being a make-up artist for films like these is an awesome job. Although, I do think they could've displayed Dobby a bit better. It was a bit jarring seeing his head propped up on a desk. Poor Dobby, murdered and displayed for all the world to see. 

Typography and Publications | Harry Potter Studio Tour 3 of 6

Lately, I've found myself drawn to typography and graphic design. I've found that it's very inspiring and it helps my writing. I know it's a bit strange that looking at book covers and calligraphy can spark ideas, but it does. So at this point, whatever works right? 

While on the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there was a small little section in the first studio. It wasn't one of the highlights, and it was right before the exit. In a huge glass display they showcased of all the publications created for the films. It was probably my favorite part of the tour. I took heaps of photos and was so excited to see the actual letters and newspapers. They always look amazing on camera, but up close they were gorgeous. The production crew spared no detail and everything was beautiful. Now if I could only create something just as awesome.

Daily Prophet and Wanted Posters

3D Quibbler

The Daily Prophet

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Deathly Hallows Necklace

Letter from Lily Potter to Sirius Black

Dark Arts textbooks

Offices of Hogwarts | Harry Potter Studio Tour 2 of 6

After we were led out of the Great Hall, we were led into a large room filled with sets and locations from the films. I really felt like I was stepping into the films and the first part of the tour was filled with little bits of Hogwarts. There was the Headmaster's Office, Portrait Hall and the Potions Classroom.

I was really impressed with the Headmaster's Office. It was quite big and amazing. I loved the walls that were lined with old books. The walls were filled with portraits and I could easily imagine one of them coming to life and speaking. The Potions Classroom was filled with vials and jars of different specimens. It was definitely a wizard's dream.

Headmaster's Office Potions Classroom