'HARRY POTTER: THE EXHIBITION' TO VISIT SEATTLE

A FEW LUCKY VISITORS ARE INVITED TO TRY ON THE SORTING HAT, WHICH COMPLIMENTS THEM ON THEIR BRAVERY, INTELLIGENCE OR CUNNING. THEN, A FEW STEPS DOWN A CORRIDOR, YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY A CLOUD OF STEAM. AHEAD IS THE TRAIN STATION, WHERE THE HOGWORTS EXPRESS HAS JUST ARRIVED. YOU HAVE ENTERED 'HARRY POTTER: THE EXHIBITION', A SHOWCASE FILLED WITH THE IMAGERY EVOKED IN JK ROWLING'S SEVEN-PART SERIES ABOUT AN ORPHAN NAMED HARRY WHO DISCOVERS HE IS PART OF A MOSTLY HIDDEN MAGICAL WORLD. THE TRAVELING SHOW OPENS IN SEATTLE ON SATURDAY. WHAT HARRY POTTER FAN HASN'T WANTED TO SIT FOR A BIT IN GIANT CHAIR AT HAGRID'S COTTAGE, WATCHING TO SEE IF THE DRAGON'S EGG SHAKING AND RATTLING ON THE TABLE IS GOING TO OPEN. THE SHOW ALSO GIVES FANS A CHANCE TO TEST THEIR QUIDDITCH SKILLS AND SEE UP CLOSE THE BEAUTIFUL GOWNS THE ACTORS WORE TO THE YULE BALL IN 'HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE'. COSTUMES AND PROPS FROM THE SEVEN MOVIES ARE IN SEATTLE FOR AN EXHIBITION AT THE PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER, INCLUDING A FEW THAT WEREN'T SHOWN WHEN THE SHOW STOPPED PREVIOUSLY IN CHICAGO, BOSTON AND ONTARIO. SEATTLE IS THE LAST STOP, FOR NOW, IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT EXHIBIT. 'THE FILMMAKERS HAVE BEEN GREAT. THEY LOVE THE EXHIBITION AND LOVE SHARING THINGS WITH THE FANS', SAID EDDIE NEWQUIST, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER OF GLOBAL EXPERIENCE SPECIALISTS, AN EXHIBITION AND TRADE SHOW COMPANY BASED IN LAS VEGAS. NEWQUIST SAID IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO CREATE THE EXHIBIT, AND IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AS THE FILMMAKERS RELEASE MORE PROPS. THE SEVENTH MOVIE OPENS 19.NOVEMBER AND ONE MORE FILM IS PLANNED. FROM THE SEVENTH MOVIE, THE EXHIBITION INCLUDES A DECOY DETECTOR, RITA SKEETER'S BIOGRAPHY OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, AND A COSTUME WORN BY HELENA BONHAM CARTER, WHO PLAYS BELLATRIX LESTRANGE. AS YOU ENTER THE CASTLE, THE FAT LADY, WHO USUALLY SITS IN A PICTURE FRAME THAT BLOCKS THE ENTRANCE TO THE GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM AND HARRY'S DIGS AT HOGWORTS INVITES THE VISITOR TO STOP AND ENJOY HER SINGING. WHEN YOU START TO WALK AWAY, SHE SIGNALS THE VISITOR TO GIVE HER JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME. IN THE END, SHE BREAKS HER WINE GLASS ON THE WALL WHEN SHE CAN'T BREAK IT BY SINGING, JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIE. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THE FAN HAS EVER WANTED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IS ON DISPLAY: FROM THE TAPESTRY OUTSIDE THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT, IT'S PAINTED NOT WOVEN, TO THE CREEPY, CRAWLERS STORED IN JARS IN THE POTIONS CLASSROOM PLUS THE MARAUDER'S MAP, HARRY'S BROOMSTICK, VARIOUS SCHOOL UNIFORMS, EVERYBODY'S WANDS AND DOBBY THE HOUSE ELF. NEWQUIST SAID THE EXHIBIT IS APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN OLD ENOUGH TO READ ONE IF THE BOOKS OR SEE THE FIRST MOVIE, AND THE SCARY PARTS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE NOT AS SCARY AS THE LATER MOVIES.