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An immersive Harry Potter exhibition is coming to Sydney this May

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
From authentic props to interactive lessons, this hands-on experience invites fans into the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Still waiting for your Hogwarts acceptance letter? The next best thing is coming to Australia this May. Delivered by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences in partnership with Imagine and Eventim Live, Harry Potter: The Exhibition is bringing your favourite childhood series to life.

The experience

Opening in Sydney, Harry Potter: The Exhibition invites fans to experience the wizarding world up close. It follows the success of Melbourne’s Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience last year, but on a far larger scale.

Spanning the full film series, plus Fantastic Beasts™ and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it’s the most extensive touring exhibition of its kind that Australia has ever seen. The interactive installation unfolds across a collection of themed rooms, each inspired by an iconic moment from the films.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Step inside the wizarding world of Harry Potter this May.

A first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone greets guests upon entry, followed by a multimedia presentation in the Page to Screen Theatre. Here, an inspirational video featuring movie scenes and literary quotes fills the room, punctuated by projections of the Marauder’s Map, Whomping Willow and Dementors.

Guests then journey through five immersive spaces, bought to life by music, soundscapes, atmospheric lighting, props, costumes and set pieces. It begins in the Great Hall, an architectural icon of the series that celebrates its most magical moments.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Each space is filled with authentic props, original costumes and other iconic memorabilia.

Then there’s the Hogwarts™ Houses gallery, where guests can view the Sorting Hat and learn more about the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Next is the Hogwarts Classrooms, which spotlights some of the films’ most recognisable props, creatures and costumes.

Digital touchscreens and interactive games allow guests to take part in lessons like Potions, Divination and Defence Against the Dark Arts. You can even pot a mandrake in the Herbology Greenhouse – just don’t forget to don your earmuffs first!

Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Stop by Hagrid’s Hut to see where the friendly giant made his home.

To round out the experience, you’ll explore Hagrid’s Hut and the Forbidden Forest, home to a hands-on Patronus charm challenge. Wander through the forest to spot magical creatures such as centaurs and Acromantula, before stepping inside a life-sized replica of Hagrid’s cosy hut.

Upon your return to the Muggle world, be sure to check out the official merch store. Here, fans can purchase everything from house-themed jumpers and jewellery to plush toys and pocket-sized trinkets, as well as treats like Chocolate Frogs and Butterbeer.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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The details

Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Harry Potter: The Exhibition will open to the public on 14 May.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is a self-guided experience, running for 60–90 minutes per session. It will open on 14 May at Sydney Olympic Park’s Paddington Pavilion, previously home to similar events such as Bubble Planet.

The popular venue is wheelchair accessible and fitted with closed-caption screens for guests with hearing impairments. Visitors with sensory needs should note that loud sounds and bright lights are featured throughout the exhibition.

Tickets go on sale 26 March, with early access available if you sign up to the wait list. Fans of all ages are welcome, but those aged 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney, NSW
Paddington Pavilion is accessible for guests with limited mobility.

 Sydney Olympic Park is roughly a 20-minute drive from Sydney’s CBD via the M4. There are a number of multi-level car parks onsite, with rates from $7 an hour or a maximum of $35 per day. Street parking is also available for the same price.

Public transport is another convenient option, with regular buses and ferries servicing the precinct. Trains also run frequently to Sydney Olympic Park station, about a 10-minute walk from Paddington Pavilion. Further details on session times will be released alongside ticket sales.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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8 reasons Cronulla is the talk of the town right now

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    A national beach title, a new entertainment precinct and a run of headline restaurant openings have put this Sydney suburb on everyone’s radar. Here are eight of the best reasons to spend a long weekend in Cronulla.

    Cronulla has spent the past year becoming one of Australia’s most talked-about coastal destinations. Its beaches picked up the title of Australia’s Best Beach for 2026, the town centre is now the state’s first beachside Special Entertainment Precinct, and it’s still the only Sydney beach you can reach by train.

    Add a wave of excellent new bars and restaurants and two national parks on its doorstep, and it’s easy to understand why locals wax lyrical about the lifestyle.

    1. The new wining and dining scene

    table spread at isora cronulla
    Try Thai, Korean and Japanese flavours at Isora.

    Chef Nelly Robinson has set up NOA just metres from the sand, and it includes a formal room for long lunches, plus Little NOA, a low-key terrace doing burgers and cocktails. Down the strip, Retro fuses a Mexico City cantina with an unlikely sideline: pizzas on a 48-hour fermented dough, backed by the Shire’s most extensive tequila list. At Checho’s, cocktails arrive in ceramic handbags and the pops of pink neon match the mood. Isora is another newcomer and skewed towards Asia, with dishes that rely on Thai, Korean and Japanese flavours. While Bobbys is one of the best waterfront restaurants in Cronulla, its sister venue, Meadow, is the new music room we didn’t know we needed. It’s cool and sleek, kitted out with excellent audio equipment and a roster of DJs on the decks.

    2. Local favourites

    Homer Rogue Taverna cronulla
    Follow the locals to Homer Rogue Taverna. (Credit: Trent van der Jagt)

    Follow the locals home from the beach to Homer Rogue Taverna, where Harry and Mario Kapoulas draw from mum’s own recipe book – moussaka, charcoal chicken off the souvla. Duke’s Providore flips from butcher-counter deli by day to an intimate wine bar after dark, and Parc Pavilion’s new pub complex covers everything from a casual bistro to a proper sports bar under one roof. Benny’s looks over Gunnamatta Bay, where the signature barra arrives in a bag with clams and cherry tomatoes, while Alphabet St has long paired its signature Apple Martini with modern Asian share plates. At family-run Queen Margherita of Savoy, the vibes are always high and the Neapolitan-style pizza lives up to its reputation as the suburb’s best.

    There are also endless options for an introduction to Cronulla’s cafe culture. Start by ordering a brew at places like Grind Espresso, Next Door, Blackwood Pantry and The Press.

    3. Winning beaches

    Bate Bay in the Sutherland Shire was named Australia’s best beach for 2026. (Credit: Taylah Darnell)

    The best beach title didn’t come from nowhere. Cronulla’s beaches and ocean pools remain some of Sydney’s most photographed, pulling swimmers, surfers and photographers back year after year. The award covers several spots along Bate Bay, including four ocean pools and the Gunnamatta Bay Baths. Follow the Esplanade from Cronulla Beach, then on to Shelly Park, where an ocean pool sits beside a grassy park and fenced playground.

    4. A surf culture to match

    sufers in cronulla nsw
    Watch the local surfers, or join in.

    Life in Cronulla revolves around the ocean. Local surfers are in the water before work, wriggling into their wetsuits. Others are swimming around Shark Island or doing the downward dog at Sunrise Yoga. In the warmer months, many are putting a full stop on the day with a quick dip at dusk. Wander the Esplanade under a wide, blue sky, and you’ll understand why Cronulla deserves the its accolades. Groups like the Shark Island Psycho Swimmers (SIPS) swim all through winter, and the beachside cafes fill with these fit folk still dripping wet and salty from the surf.

    5. A ferry ride to Bundeena

    The Coast Track, Royal National Park
    Royal National Park is the world’s second-oldest national park. (Credit: J Spencer / DCCEEW)

    For a change of pace, base yourself in Cronulla and take the short ferry across to Bundeena. While it’s only a day trip from Cronulla, it feels like you’ve left Sydney behind entirely, without ever getting in a car.

    Time your visit to coincide with the monthly art trail. Or paddle into the calm water of Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. The boho suburb is the gateway to the walking tracks of the Royal National Park – the second oldest national park in the world and the oldest in Australia. It’s worth the jaunt along Jibbon Beach to see the Jibbon Head Aboriginal Engravings, an ancient Dharawal rock art site located on a sandstone platform near Bundeena in the Royal National Park.

    6. Explore Kamay Botany Bay National Park

    Sandstone cliff walls lining the Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell
    Wander over impressive sandstone clifftops. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Prefer to stay on this side of the water? The Kurnell side of Kamay Botany Bay National Park sits just beyond Cronulla’s beaches – its coastal walking trails leading out to Cape Solander, where watching the waves crash against the soaring sandstone cliffs is as dramatic as seeing whales breaching during the annual migration season.

    There’s history here too, layered into the landscape. The Cape Baily walking track snakes along the clifftops to the 1950 lighthouse, passing through heathland that is brightened with pops of pretty wildflowers during spring. Set off early, in the cool light of dawn, to make the trek from Cape Solander to Cronulla along a well-used walking track.

    7. Stay the night (or several)

    Rydges Cronulla Beachside
    Peaple-watch from your balcony at Rydges Cronulla Beachside. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Accommodation in Cronulla ranges from cosy Airbnbs to full-service hotels. Rydges Cronulla Beachside has 84 rooms and suites, most with balconies over the beach or the Kingsway, plus a terrace bar, The Alley, right by the beach. And Quest Cronulla Beach has reopened after a full refurbishment with pet-friendly studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, each with its own kitchen and laundry. Guests can also use the outdoor pool, gym, sauna and spa. Quest Woolooware Bay is just one suburb back from Cronulla and near the Woolooware Bay Shared Pathway, which leads across the Captain Cook Bridge to Dolls Point.

    8. A vibrant events calendar

    the music venue with a live band setup at Brass Monkey Cronulla
    Check out Brass Monkey’s gig guide.

    Music lovers flock to the Cronulla Jazz and Blues Festival, which happens every May. And there’s always something happening at the Brass Monkey, so be sure to check the gig guide for upcoming live acts.

    Lace up your runners and join in the Sutherland 2 Surf every July, or tackle the Shire Run Carnival every November.

    Pop into the Cronulla Christmas Market (in 2026, it’s on November 21-22) for over 200 stalls selling gift ideas for Christmas. Food lovers, meanwhile, can graze more than 30 international hot food stalls at Eat Drink Nights Cronulla.

    Bring the family along to two of the Shire’s favourite annual festivals. The Gymea Village Festival fills Gymea’s streets with rides, entertainment and market stalls every October, while the Jannali Moonrise Festival lights up November with live music, food and family-friendly fun.

    Yes, Cronulla officially has the best beach in Australia, a dining scene that holds its own against the city’s best and national parks on either side of it. But best of all, these attractions are all close enough together that you never have to choose between them.

    Start planning the ultimate Aussie getaway at visitsutherlandshire.com.au.