Authentic Film Sets
One of the most memorable parts of the tour is the opportunity to step onto real film sets preserved from the Harry Potter movies. Visitors can walk through the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Great Hall, where Hogwarts students gathered for feasts and ceremonies, and continue through other iconic locations recreated exactly as they appeared on screen. Guests can also explore Platform 9 3/4 and see the original Hogwarts Express train, wander into Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse where Herbology lessons took place, and venture through the dark and atmospheric Forbidden Forest at Harry Potter Studios. These authentic environments allow visitors to experience the scale, craftsmanship, and storytelling that shaped the magical world of the films.
Original Props
Thousands of carefully crafted objects used in the films are displayed throughout the tour, revealing the extraordinary level of detail created by the filmmaking teams. Visitors exploring inside Warner Brothers Studio can see magical artefacts, classroom equipment, and intricate items used in key scenes, many of which were handmade specifically for the movies. For example, the famous memory cabinet in Dumbledore’s office contains hundreds of individually designed vials, each labelled and created by the props and graphics departments to enhance the realism of the wizarding world. These props demonstrate how even the smallest on-screen details were thoughtfully designed to build a believable magical universe.
Iconic Costumes
A large collection of authentic film costumes inside Harry Potter Studio London reveals the craftsmanship behind the characters’ distinctive appearances. From Hogwarts school robes to the elegant uniforms of visiting wizarding schools, each costume was designed to reflect personality, story progression, and magical culture. Over the course of the film series, costumes such as Quidditch uniforms evolved from heavy robes into more athletic designs that resembled modern sports gear. By examining these garments up close, visitors can appreciate the materials, tailoring, and creative design choices that helped bring beloved characters to life on screen.
Special Visual Effects
The tour also reveals the filmmaking techniques that made the wizarding world appear magical on screen. A popular highlight is the Harry Potter Studios green screen experience, where visitors can discover how visual effects artists replaced green backgrounds with moving landscapes or magical environments. This same technique allowed filmmakers to create scenes of characters flying on broomsticks or traveling through enchanted locations. By demonstrating these effects in an interactive way, the exhibition shows how practical filmmaking techniques and digital effects combined to create the illusion of magic.
Creature Effects
Many of the magical creatures seen in the films were created using a combination of animatronics, prosthetics, and visual effects. The Creature Effects section showcases the work of designers who built lifelike models used during filming, including the enormous spider Aragog, whose animatronic body had a leg span of more than 18 feet. Designers inserted individual hairs by hand and used a mix of practical materials to achieve realistic textures and movement. Displays also highlight creatures such as Buckbeak and the Basilisk, demonstrating the blend of mechanical engineering, makeup effects, and digital enhancements used to bring these fantastical beings to life.
Art Department
Behind every magical location in the films was a large team of designers and artists responsible for visualizing the wizarding world. A centerpiece of this section is the incredibly detailed Hogwarts model, originally built for the first film and used to create many of the castle’s exterior shots. The model features thousands of tiny lights to simulate lanterns and windows, along with carefully crafted landscapes made from real plants and materials. Visitors can also see concept artwork, technical drawings, and scale models used by the art department to plan the hundreds of sets created throughout the film series.
The Backlot Stage
The Backlot Stage provides an immersive presentation space dedicated to explaining the secrets behind some of the most spectacular moments in the films. In this indoor theatre-style setting with a digital screen and stage, studio interactors demonstrate how filmmakers achieved complex sequences such as underwater scenes or the creation of large creatures like the Hungarian Horntail dragon. Through live demonstrations and behind-the-scenes explanations, visitors gain insight into the technical artistry that made many of the films’ most dramatic scenes possible.
Please note that the Backlot Stage will be closed for maintenance from 13 April to 7 May 2026.
