Behind the Magic: A Critical Look at the New Harry Potter Exhibition in Dallas

Tucked within Dallas’ Pepper Square, a quiet marvel awaits: a first edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, enshrined in a Gringotts-style vault, serves as the origin point to an adventure both storied and brand new. Just beyond, the boundaries of reality grow thin. With a wave of a wristband and a few paces, Potter fans find themselves moving between chapters of the wizarding world — one that, until recently, lived only in the pages and on the silver screen.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition, a dynamic, interactive wonder that has captivated over four million guests across the globe, has made its Dallas debut and turned this unassuming venue into Hogwarts’ newest corridor

Put together by Imagine, the same creative force behind the Titanic exhibition, this new venture occupies the very same location but trades the cold tragedy of the Atlantic for the warm, spellbinding glow of the Wizarding World of the boy who lived. It’s a journey that wisely borrows a key narrative device from its predecessor. Where the Titanic issues guests a boarding pass tying them to a real passenger, Harry Potter gives you a wristband that serves as a digital key, personalizing your path through more than 25 rooms of immersive wonder.

This small, unassuming band is your link to the magic — your wand in a digital age, if you will. At the start of the journey, you register at a kiosk, choosing your Hogwarts house, your Patronus and a wand from a notable character. From that moment on, you’re no longer just a visitor — you’re an active participant, a student earning points for your house as you move from classroom to Forbidden Forest.

“We wanted it to be a personalized experience,” says Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine, who was tapped by Warner Bros. to bring this vision to life. “The idea of personalizing, if you’re a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or a Slytherin, people really feel this connection to the story. So, how can we make it personal for you?”

The answer lies in that RFID wristband. Zaller’s team initially envisioned an intensely complex system where a Slytherin might hear a whisper of Parseltongue that no one else could. While logistics tempered those ambitions, the core idea of personal connection remains. The most delightful proof is in the Marauder’s Map room. After an introductory video, you tap your wristband on a golden snitch emblem and suddenly your name appears in familiar script, wandering the halls of Hogwarts on a massive, animated map.

“The best thing, the whole experience in my mind, that came out of the RFID, is when you tap and you see your name on that Marauder’s Map,” Zaller shares. “It’s like, ‘I didn’t know that was coming.’ That’s what we were trying to have — the technology be invisible but make a surprising and delightful kind of moment.”

From there, the exhibition flows from one iconic setting to another. You’ll walk through gallery halls dedicated to the four Hogwarts houses, each featuring original costumes from the films. In the Hufflepuff section, Cedric Diggory’s casual attire stands proudly. Over in Ravenclaw, the quirky lost shoes and Spectrespecs of Luna Lovegood are on display. And for those drawn to the ambitious, the dark hooded dress of Bellatrix Lestrange looms in the Slytherin corner, a stark contrast to the heroic Gryffindor display featuring the robes of Harry, Ron and Hermione, alongside the legendary Sword of Gryffindor.

The experience is a mix of cinematic reverence and hands-on fun. Interactive stations invite you to brew a digital potion in Snape’s dungeon-like classroom, pot a mandrake in the Herbology greenhouse (don’t worry, no earmuffs required, but it is loud) and face down a Boggart in Defense Against the Dark Arts. These technological touchpoints are where the magic occasionally flickers. On opening day, some stations were temperamental, requiring a patient tap-tap-tap of the wristband rather than a steady hold, and sometimes a wait for a reboot. But the moments that work are genuinely worth it. Successfully tracing a symbol to cast Wingardium Leviosa or watching a crystal ball reveal a prophecy for you feels like a small, personal victory.

Among the attendees on opening night were the Kassab sisters, also known as the K3 Sisters Band, a local trio of siblings and TikTok stars whose fandom is deeply intertwined with their music and style.

“For over a decade, my sisters and I have created Harry Potter content for millions of fans,” says Kaylen Kassab. “The arrival of the traveling Harry Potter exhibit to Dallas is a prime example of the continuing magic that Hogwarts can offer to Texas families.”

Her sister Kristen adds, “This exhibit employs a magic wristband that activates many charming ways to interact with all the curious joys found in the books and movies. You are free to dress up in your wizard robe or Quidditch uniform if you want to really get into character.”

And many do. The space is filled with wizards and witches of all ages, their house-colored scarves a common sight. This communal energy is part of the fun, especially in the holding areas where enthusiastic employees quiz the crowd on trivia, turning wait times into friendly competitions.

Opening the Chamber in Dallas

One of the undeniable highlights is the Portkey room. Zaller’s passion for this specific space is palpable.

“That was one of my favorite things on the drawing board,” he explains, describing how he pushed for a fully immersive room instead of a simple screen. “I was like, ‘no, you got to go in a room. We need walls, we need screens, and we need two more projectors, because this has got to be immersive.'”

The result is breathtaking, as the room transports you into a swirling vortex of light and sound, shifting from the festive grounds of the Quidditch World Cup to the eerie graveyard of Little Hangleton.

Other fan-favorite areas offer pure, uncomplicated joy. In the Quidditch section, you can throw a Quaffle through golden hoops in an arcade-style game that’s surprisingly addictive. Photographers will flock to two perfectly lit spots: a chance to lie down in a recreation of Harry’s cupboard under the stairs and a seat at Professor Umbridge’s sickeningly pink desk, surrounded by her decorative cat plates. While other photo ops, like the giant sofa in Hagrid’s Hut, are a bit too dimly lit to capture easily on a phone, these aforementioned spots are Instagram-ready.

The exhibition honors the entire breadth of the franchise, from the Fantastic Beasts films to the Broadway hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, featuring costumes worn by Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. It’s a delicate balance, catering to both the casual viewer and the die-hard fan who knows the significance of every prop.

“Our goal was to try and tell the whole story,” says Zaller. “If you’re not a fan, you don’t need to know anything. You need to come in and have a good experience. If you’re a super fan, you’re going to want more.”

The journey concludes, expectedly, in a sprawling gift shop. Here, you’ll find everything from house-specific hoodies and necklaces to notebooks designed to look like potions textbooks. You can even grab some Butterbeer, though be warned it has more of a salted-caramel coffee flavor than the classic cream soda taste you might expect. Before you shop, a large screen reveals the day’s house point standings — Gryffindor often pulls ahead by evening, but the Hufflepuffs, we’re told, are the early risers.

Is it a perfect experience? Not quite. The technology can be finicky, and some lighting choices feel like a missed opportunity. But these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a lovingly crafted, deeply engaging ode to the Wizarding World. It’s a chance to step away from the couch marathons and feel the magic firsthand.

As Kelsey of the K3 Sisters Band puts it, “Kudos to Imagine and Warner Bros. for creating a 10 out of 10 technical and creatively immersive experience for anyone interested in a family-friendly, Harry Potter-themed fantasy. The quality of the exhibit, including actual costumes and props from the movies, is a dream come true for fans.”

Ultimately, the exhibition succeeds because it understands what makes this universe so enduring: the feeling of belonging. Whether you’re cheering for your house, casting a spell or simply standing in awe before Gilderoy Lockhart’s golden, embroidered robes, you are a part of the story.

Admission for adults starts at $24, while tickets for children ages 3-12 start at $18. Prices vary by day of the week, reaching up to $34 on Saturdays. Family bundles and group discounts are also available. Though you could argue that a few magical hours for a trip home to Hogwarts is priceless.