Alohamora!

School’s out! It’s time for sun, summer reading, and family trips to awesome places – such as the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the world-premiere of Harry Potter: The Exhibition. If you loved the books and the movies, the exhibit is your opportunity to get up close and personal with the costumes and props from the Harry Potter films, see some magical creatures, and try some hands-on Hogwarts activities. Here is just some of what you’ll see and experience:

• You might be selected to don the sorting hat. Find out what Hogwarts House is calling you!
• Check out the themed environments, such as the Gryffindor Common Room, Hagrid’s Hut, and the Hogwart’s Great Hall.
• See many of the wizardly props, like the Monster Book of Monsters, Harry’s acceptance letter to Hogwarts, the list of Dumbledore’s Army, and Ron Weasley’s howler.
• Pull a Mandrake out of a flowerpot in Professor Sprout’s classroom and listen to it shriek!
• Try your hand at throwing a Quaffle in the Quidditch area.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is at the Museum of Science and Industry through September 27, 2009. Watch the museum website for “free days” when you’ll not be required to purchase a general admission ticket (you’ll still need to purchase special entry tickets for The Exhibition). No cameras are permitted – be prepared to leave the exhibit with only memories and a few great souvenirs from the official exhibit gift shop!

Coming soon to a theater near you -Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 15! Now’s the time to catch up on reading (or re-reading) this great Rowling series, or refresh your memory by watching the first five films on DVD. The Urbana Free Library has all of the books and all of the films in their collection! Place a request through the library's online catalog for the books and the films. We’ll notify you when they are available and hold them for you at the circulation desk. And now – most books in the collection have a 4-week loan period (new books remain at a 2-week loan). Five points from Gryffindor!